Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee
Meeting Date: Monday,
24 February, 2025
Location: Osprey
Room, Level 1, City Administrative Building, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 11.00am
Please note: Council’s Code of Meeting Practice
permits the electronic recording and broadcast of the proceedings of meetings
of the Council which are open to the public. Your attendance at this meeting is
taken as consent to the possibility that your image and/or voice may be
recorded and broadcast to the public.
Agenda
1. Meeting Conduct Statement
2 Acknowledgement of Country
3. Apologies
4. Elect Chairperson for next meeting
5. Confirmation of Minutes
· Inclusion
& Access Advisory Committee – 20 May 2024
6. Declaration of Interests
7. Presentations
IA25.1.......... Presentation - Community Strategic Plan -
Feedback
The Community Strategic Plan (CSP) is the
community’s plan for the Shoalhaven. It has a minimum 10-year timeframe
and should reflect the community’s main priorities and aspirations (needs
and wants) for the Shoalhaven.
We are engaging multiple stakeholder
groups across the Shoalhaven to understand what they love about the Shoalhaven,
what they would like to see less of, challenges facing the Shoalhaven and their
vision for the Shoalhaven.
Feedback and contributions from the
Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee will help ensure we are capturing key
community priorities in the new plan.
IA25.2.......... Workshop
- Disability Inclusion Action Plan Review
Under the NSW Disability Inclusion Act
2014, councils are required to review their Disability Inclusion Action Plan
(DIAP) every four years. As part of this requirement, councils must consult
with specific groups in the community including Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander, people with a disability and young people. Council’s advisory
committees provide a great opportunity for such workshops in addition to other
engagement that is being conducted in the broader community.
8. Reports
IA25.3.......... Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee Terms
of Reference Review 2025.................. 1
IA25.4.......... Action Table Report - Inclusion & Access
Advisory Committee - February 2025............ 4
9. General Business
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Inclusion &
Access Advisory Committee – Monday 24 February 2025
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Membership
Clr Gillian Boyd
Clr Ben Krikstolaitis – Alternate
Ms Jackie Kay AM
Mr Bill Deaves
Mr Chris Mitchell
Mr Frederick Oberg
Ms Lily Wright
Ms Kylieanne Derwent
Mr Hayden Fineran
Ms Kate Kinch
Ms Veronica Rawlinson
Ms Penelope Espinoza Hallett
Ms Amanda Smith
Ms Juliette Boyd
All other Councillors as non voting members
Mr Gareth Ward MP (or nominee)
Ms Liza Butler - MP South Coast (Sandra
Gray)
Ms Fiona Phillips (Lesley Zandstra)
Ms Karen Akehurst – Carers NSW
Ms Sarah Ottley – Interchange
Shoalhaven
Ms Leonie Dippel – Shoalhaven
Community Transport
Ms Jodie Hoger – Education
Representative (TAFE Illawarra)
Ms Mel Gorman – Spinal Cord Injuries
Australia
Mr Murray Hair – Health NSW
(Occupational Therapy Department)
FOCAS Shoalhaven (Representative)
Mr Paul Snudden / Ms Ruth Freeland –
NDIS
Quorum – Seven (7) voting
members provided that a minimum of one (1) Councillor with voting rights and
six (6) community representatives
Note: Any non-voting Councillor in attendance at any of the
above Committees may act as an alternate voting member in circumstances where
achievement of a quorum is required, noting that this doesn’t apply when
quorum specifies the quorum to require community member attendance.
Purpose:
Guided
by lived experience and expertise, provide advice and guidance to Shoalhaven
City Council to promote an accessible, inclusive and welcoming community that
respects independence and human dignity by:
• Ensuring
that all residents can participle actively in all aspects of community and
civic life and ensure that Council recognises and values the diversity of its
community.
• Identifying
and addressing barriers preventing people from participating in programs,
services and facilities across the City.
And advocate for:
• Adherence
to the principles of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the NSW
Disability Inclusion Act 2014 which will benefit the community.
• Inclusion
in our community through recommendations to improve the built environment,
changes in community attitudes and behaviours, and creating better systems and
processes for meaningful participation of people of all abilities.
Strategic
Plan Alignment
Disability
Inclusion Action Plan (2022-26)
Create
positive attitudes and behaviours within community
Create
accessible and liveable communities
Improve
access to our systems and processes
Support
access to meaningful employment.
Community
Strategic Plan 2032
Resilient,
Safe, Accessible and Inclusive Communities
1.1 -
Support inclusive, safe and connected communities
1.2 -
Preserve, support and develop cultural and creative vitality across our
communities
1.3 -
Support community wellbeing through fostering active and healthy communities
Role:
To
receive and disseminate information and updates to and from the community about
regarding issues of accessibility and inclusion in the Shoalhaven.
To
provide and receive information to Council staff and Councillors regarding the
reports and presentations made to the Committee.
Minutes
of the Inclusion & Access Advisory
Committee
Meeting Date: Monday, 20 May 2024
Location: Osprey
Training Room, Level 1, City Administrative Building, Bridge Road, Nowra
Time: 11.00am
The following members were present:
Mr Hayden Fineran - Chairperson
Clr Patricia White
Clr Gillian Boyd (Remotely)
Ms Jackie Kay
Mr Bill Deaves
Mr Chris Mitchell
Ms Penelope Espinoza Hallett (Remotely)
Mr Frederick Oberg
Ms Kylieanne Derwent – Left 11:57am (Remotely)
Ms Veronica Rawlinson (Remotely)
Others present:
Ms Sandra Gray – South Coast
MP Representative (Remotely)
Mr Leslie Coster –
Interchange Shoalhaven
Mr James Gould – CEO - Coast and Country Community Services
Ms Felicity Lochhead –
Carers NSW
Mr Paul Snudden – Uniting
NDIS (Remotely)
Ms Hayley Byrne – Uniting
(Remotely)
Ms Carly McWalters – Lead
– Community Capacity Building
Ms Monica Kincade - Senior Community Capacity Builder
Mr Toney Pearman - Manager -
Certification & Compliance
Ms Alix Gillett - Coordinator -
Marketing & Community Engagement – Joined 11:24am
Ms Catherine Snell - Manager
Customer Experience – Joined 12:29pm
The meeting was opened with a
reading of the Code of Meeting Practice Statement and an Acknowledgement of
Country.
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IA24.4 Election
of Chairperson
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Ms Carly McWalters assumed
the Chair and asked the members present if there were any nominations for the
role of Chairperson.
Hayden
Fineran was nominated for the position of Chairperson, and Ms Veronica
Rawlinson nominated to Chair the next meeting currently scheduled for 12
August 2024.
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RESOLVED (By consent)
That the Inclusion and Access
Advisory Committee nominate Ms Veronica Rawlinson as Chairperson for the next
meeting in 2024.
CARRIED
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Apologies were received from Clr
Findley, Clr Kotlash and Lily Wright.
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Confirmation of the Minutes
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RESOLVED (By consent)
That the Minutes of the Inclusion & Access
Advisory Committee held on Monday 4 December 2023 and Monday 04 March 2024 be
confirmed, with an amendment to the minutes of 4 December 2023 to reflect
that Mr Leslie Koster was present.
CARRIED
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Nil
Presentations
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IA24.3 The
State of Accessible Transport in the Shoalhaven LGA
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HPERM Ref: D24/110292
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Presenter
James Gould,
CEO, Coast and Country Community Services Ltd.
Summary
At the
Ordinary Meeting of Shoalhaven City Council on 27 November 2023, Council
resolved to complete the following actions (MIN23.675):
1. On
behalf of the Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee, write to State
Members, the Minister for Transport Ms Jo Haylen, taxi companies and other
interested parties, to advocate for improved access to transport in regional
areas.
2. Invite
taxi companies to attend the next Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee
meeting, or other meeting, to hear the concerns of the Committee.
James Gould, CEO, Coast and
Country Community Services Ltd, verbally presented on the state of accessible
transport in the Shoalhaven LGA.
Mr Gould discussed the
current contract under which Coast and Country Community Services currently
operates, and the barriers it presents. It was also noted that planned
changes are coming in 2027, as the service moves towards becoming a NDIS
provider.
The Committee discussed the
need for data to be collected on current accessible transport options, and
the accessible transport needs of people living with a disability in the
Shoalhaven, and made the recommendation below.
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REcommendation (By consent)
That the Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee:
1. Acknowledge
the presentation and thank Mr James Gould for presenting.
2. Request
staff write to the Local Members (Liza Butler MP, Gareth Ward MP and Fiona
Phillips MP) to seek funding to identify a peak body to undertake the
following work, so that future community funding can be tailored to the
accessible transport needs in the /.Shoalhaven:
a. Coordinate
data collection of current accessible transport options,
b. Collect
data on the accessible transport needs of people living with a disability.
CARRIED
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Post meeting note: On review of the minutes, staff
have identified that the above recommendation requires further consideration.
At the next meeting scheduled for 12 August, Council is expecting that the
Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District and Coordinator – the South
East Primary Health Network will be in attendance to provide further
information on this subject. Once the Committee have heard from all parties,
they will be in a better position to provide an informed recommendation.
Staff have spoken with the Committee members that proposed this
recommendation and they are supportive of deferring a recommendation to the
next meeting.
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IA24.1 Presentation
– Community Engagement Check-In
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HPERM Ref: D24/47070
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Last year,
Council adopted the Shoalhaven City Council Community Engagement Strategy
that the Manager Media and Communications, Caitlin Lewis sought feedback from
the Committee at the time of creation in November 2022.
The Media and Communications Team
is now in the early stages of developing the Community Engagement Framework.
This is intended to support the strategy and develop a consistent,
best-practice approach for the whole organisation to engage with Shoalhaven
communities. The team are seeking input and suggestions from the members of
the Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee to be considered for inclusion in
the framework.
The information presented to the Committee is attached
to these minutes.
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Reports
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IA24.2 Inclusion
and Access Advisory Committee Updated Action Table Report - 20 May 2024
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HPERM Ref: D24/33302
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Recommendation (Item to be determined under
delegated authority)
That the Inclusion and Access
Advisory Committee:
1. Receive
the Update on Actions Report for information.
2. Acknowledge
the following actions as complete and remove from the action table:
a. IA22.21
- Additional Item - Accessibility to Shops - Nowra CBD.
b. IA23.25
- Dylan Alcott's Disability Inclusion Program - Sport4All - Presentation
Received - January Informal Meeting - Report Back to IAAC.
c. IA23.20 -
Public / Community Transport & Taxi Services - Regional Areas - Advocate
for improved access - State Members / Minister for Transport / Taxi companies
- Invitation to IAAC (taxi).
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RESOLVED (By consent)
That the Inclusion and Access
Advisory Committee:
1. Receive
the Update on Actions Report for information.
2. Acknowledge
the following actions as complete and remove from the action table:
a.
IA22.21 - Additional Item - Accessibility to Shops - Nowra CBD.
b. IA23.25
- Dylan Alcott's Disability Inclusion Program - Sport4All - Presentation
Received - January Informal Meeting - Report Back to IAAC.
c. IA23.20 - Public / Community Transport & Taxi Services
- Regional Areas - Advocate for improved access - State Members / Minister
for Transport / Taxi companies - Invitation to IAAC (taxi).
3. Receives
an update on Accessibility to Shops in the Nowra CBD when a funding source
becomes available, or changes to relevant infrastructure occur.
4. Request
to be added to Councils grants notification list.
5. In
relation to IA23.20, re-send an additional letter to 13Cabs due to the new
ownership.
CARRIED
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GENERAL
BUSINESS
Customer
Experience & Contact Centre Accessibility - Update
Catherine Snell - Manager Customer
Experience, provided an update to the Committee following the informal workshop
regarding Customer Service and Contact Centre accessibility and ease of access
for all residents. Ms Snell advised the following:
·
Council’s website has gone live
with the accessibility menu widget
·
Moving towards organisational training
for people with disabilities
·
The layout of Council’s website
has been updated to facilitate greater accessibility
There being no further business, the meeting concluded, the
time being 12:59pm.
Hayden Fineran
CHAIRPERSON
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Inclusion &
Access Advisory Committee – Monday 24 February 2025
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IA25.3 Inclusion
and Access Advisory Committee Terms of Reference Review 2025
HPERM Ref: D25/26818
Department: Cultural
& Community Services
Approver: Lindsay
Usher, Acting Director - City Development
Attachments: 1. Terms
of Reference Draft - January 2025 - Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee -
Track Changes (under separate cover) ⇨
2. Terms of Reference Draft -
January 2025 - Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee - Changes Accepted
(under separate cover) ⇨
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to
provide the Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee with proposed amendments
to the Terms of Reference POL24/104 for information and feedback.
Summary and Key Points for
Consideration:
Public Council policies
including Terms of Reference are to be reviewed every four years within the
term of the current Council or when required.
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Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)
That the Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee receive the
draft Terms of Reference for information and provide staff with feedback.
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Options
1. The
recommendation is adopted as written:
Implications: The Terms of Reference (TOR) will be
updated in line with the Council’s preferred template for TORs for
Section 355 Committees inclusive of any amendments identified as part of the
review process.
2. The
recommendation is not adopted, and an alternative recommendation is provided.
Implications: The proposed TOR will not be updated,
and the Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee will be required to provide
an alternative proposal.
Background
and Supplementary information
Shoalhaven City Council Section
355 Advisory Committees have been established to provide community with a
platform to provide advice on a range of subjects. The Inclusion and Access
Advisory Committee (IAAC) is one such committee and is overseen by the City
Development directorate. As part of the requirement that Council policies be reviewed
every four years within the term of the current Council, this TOR is being
reviewed and updated.
Council staff have reviewed and
updated the IAAC’s TOR; the proposed changes align with updates
previously endorsed by Executive Leadership Team (ELT) with additional
amendments, see Attachment 2.
Key
Changes to the TOR
Summary of the key changes are
below:
· 6.
Membership - Chair and Deputy Chair adjusted to:
‘The Chair will comprise of
one Councillor (voting member) who will be nominated at the beginning of the
meeting of the first sitting of the Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee for
the term of the current Council and in the absence of the nominated Chair a
member with voting rights may be elected as interim Chair for that meeting.’
· 7. Committee
Meetings - Meeting Schedule: adjusted to:
‘There will be a minimum of
one meeting per year. The Chairperson may call an additional meeting in
consultation with the Manager Culture and Community Services or the Director of
City Development.’
· 9.
Code of Conduct clause to include Councils Code of Meeting Practice
statement and states:
‘As
per Councils Code of Meeting Practice, speakers addressing the meeting do not
have absolute privilege with respect to comments they make, opinions they express
or material presented, and need to be aware that they may be held personally
liable for defamatory statements or statements contrary to any legal
obligations’.
· 11.
Sunset Clause has been introduced and states:
‘The
committee may be disbanded within one year of the election of a new Council, or
earlier at the direction of Council’.
These proposed amendments bring
the TOR in line with other Council policies and best practice. The following
documents are attached to this report for members to review:
1. Terms of Reference
Draft - January 2025 - Inclusion and Access Advisory
Committee - Track Changes
2. Terms of Reference
Draft - January 2025 - Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee - Changes
Accepted.
Internal Consultations
The Governance Team have provided guidance on proposed
changes to this TOR to ensure consistency with other 355 Committee TORs.
External Consultations
Members of the Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee will
be consulted regarding the proposed amendments to the TOR at the first sitting
of the committee.
Community Consultations
Members of the Inclusion and
Access Advisory Committee are community members and as mentioned above, will be
consulted at the first meeting of the committee.
Policy and Statutory Implications
The only Council policy relevant for this report is the TOR
in question. The IAAC will be required to provide alternative amendments should
members not agree to the proposed changes.
Financial Implications
There are no funds or resources outside of staff time required
to propose TOR amendments for the IAAC.
Risk Implications
Council recognises the importance of
maintaining good relationships and upholding core organisational values in all
interactions with members of our Section 355 Committees. Council will tolerate
appropriate and effective interventions to improve the functioning of these
Committees.
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Inclusion &
Access Advisory Committee – Monday 24 February 2025
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IA25.4 Action
Table Report - Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee - February 2025
HPERM Ref: D25/29133
Department: Cultural
& Community Services
Approver: Lindsay
Usher, Acting Director - City Development
Attachments: 1. Action
Table - January IAAC 2025 ⇩
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to
provide the Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee with a progress report on
outstanding actions.
Summary and Key Points for
Consideration:
This report aims to update the
Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee on the current status of pending
actions, including actions that are recommended for completion.
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Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)
That the Inclusion & Access
Advisory Committee receive the update on Actions Report for information.
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Options
1. Adopt the recommendation as written.
Implications: The Inclusion & Access Advisory
Committee is updated on progress of actions and recommendations made at
previous meetings.
2. Request more information.
Implications: Members of the Inclusion & Access
Advisory Committee request more information.
Background and Supplementary information
This report is to update the
Inclusion & Access Advisory Committee on outstanding actions from previous
meetings. Attachment 1 provides information regarding the status of actions and
resolutions made at previous meetings, including items which are still works in
progress. Staff can provide an update at the meeting, should members have any
further questions on the status of actions.
Internal Consultations
It is important that the members of the Inclusion &
Access Advisory Committee are kept informed on progress towards the completion
of actions and projects. This report provides a structured approach to
facilitate this information exchange.
External Consultations
Members of the Inclusion and
Access Advisory Committee will be informed about the progress of outstanding
actions at the next sitting of the committee.
Community Consultations
This report relates to actions
that arose from previous Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee meetings and
that are the responsibility of staff to complete. As such, no community
consultation was required.
Policy and Statutory Implications
There are no changes required to
any Council policy as a result of the production of this report.
Financial Implications
There is no budget associated
with the Inclusion and Access Advisory Committee so there are no financial
implications.
Risk Implications
Council recognises the importance of maintaining good
relationships and upholding core organisational values in all interactions with
members of our Section 355 Committees. Council will tolerate appropriate and
effective interventions to improve the functioning of these Committees.
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Inclusion &
Access Advisory Committee – Monday 24 February 2025
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