Perth Voice Interactive

AN environmental report which authorities relied on to approve a controversial sub-division in Bayswater made no mention that part of a thriving wetland would be cleared.

Documents provided to Bayswater councillor Chris Cornish under freedom of information laws show the WA Planning Commission approved the Skippers Row development after considering a report by consultants for the owner, the D’Orazio family. The report found there was no vegetation on the site worth preserving.

Tortoises

However, the WAPC approval allows the D’Orazios to clear a temporary cul-de-sac on a neighbouring block which has a wetland that’s home to tortoises and four species of frog. That site wasn’t discussed in the environmental report, and the WAPC didn’t commission its own report.

Following the approval, the D’Orazio family started clearing a section of the wetland, much to the dismay of residents who’ve managed to convince environment minister Donna Faragher to put a temporary stop to all but the most necessary works.

Cr Cornish believes the WAPC, parks and wildlife, and the environmental regulation department blundered by failing to notice the impact on the neighbouring block.

“I can understand that the community is angry and want to apportion blame for this, however the most important thing is that lessons are learnt and to ensure that processes are put in place so that it can’t happen again,” he says.

Bayswater council has twice knocked back purchasing the wetland site, but is now mulling over putting an offer in to see if it can be rehabilitated to prevent the spread of housing next to the sensitive Eric Singleton bird sanctuary which it’s just spent $3 million restoring.

Cr Cornish says the WAPC also erred by ignoring advice from Bayswater planning manager Helen Smith, who’d urged a buffer to protect the bird sanctuary.

Attacks on fauna

Ms Smith had written to the commission alerting it to the council’s restoration efforts at the sanctuary, which had increased biodiversity and reduced the amount of nutrients heading in to the Swan River.

She said without a buffer the development could:

• impact nesting, migration, habits of birds and fauna populations due to the increase in artificial light and noise;

• increase weed infestation from garden escapees; and,

• lead to increased attacks on birds and fauna from domestic animals.

The WAPC knocked back the request saying an existing path between them was wide enough.

“City of Bayswater staff excelled,” Cr Cornish says.

“Unfortunately there are far too many government departments which make decisions without placing sufficient weight in the local government’s views, without placing sufficient weight on the views of the people who know the area and who represent those living in the area.”

by DAVID BELL

GARDEN enthusiasts who mourned the collapse of Open Gardens Australia will be thrilled to learn there’s a new, WA-based replacement.

Open Gardens West Coast is a not-for-profit group of keen gardeners.

“It’s based on a similar model to Open Gardens Australia, but where they had a paid co-ordinator in each state Open Gardens West Coast is completely run by volunteers,” member Deryn Thorpe says.

An award-winning print and radio garden journalist, Thorpe will open her Mount Lawley cottage garden for the first time in 11 years to celebrate the budding organisation.

A fanatical gardener, she also works as a tour guide and garden consultant, providing advice on design and planting.

For a $10 entry fee visitors get a guided walk around her garden full of old roses, mature trees and extravagant displays of perennials and annuals.

“I’ve been a keen gardener for a very long time, and in garden journalism since the 90s, so I can really show people about how building a really beautiful garden is all about the soil,” she says.

For the non-gardener there will be a collection of restored Model T Ford’s on display. The cars were chosen to complement the heritage of her 100-year-old Federation home.

Two more open gardens are planned for the following weekends with a full schedule of openings planned for Autumn and Spring next year.

For more information visit http://www.derynthorpe.com.au or the organisation’s new website http://www.opengardenswa.org

by SOPHIE MITCHELL

VINCENT council looks set to bring in an independent expert to head up its audit committee.

Like most committees in Perth, Vincent’s financial overseer is headed by its mayor and filled out by councillors, but Cr Ros Harley wants staff to investigate “best practice” and see if independent members (and even a chair) are a better fit.

Across the border, a divided Perth city council last month decided against an independent expert to replace lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi as chair of its audit committee (“Scaffidi to keep audit position,” Voice, September 3, 2016).

“We’re not trying to fix something broken, we’re trying to move to best practice… we value having independent involvement in council activities, so this will work out whether best practice is also having an independent chair,” Cr Harley says.

“Nearly every other capital city municipality does it this way.”

An independent expert can also bring in specific financial skills, since often councils are made of ordinary professions like butchers, bakers, and seven real estate agents.

The motion will be voted on by full council this week.

If a staff investigation finds it’s the best option Cr Harley flagged asking local government minister Tony Simpson to look into legislating it across the board.

The state government is moving to have the auditor general take over responsibility for council audits but the plan is to fast-track the changes to cover the gap in the meantime.

by DAVID BELL

THE Mount Lawley Society is gearing up for the first Hip on Heritage Short Film Festival showcasing the historic suburb.

The society is looking for films less than seven minutes long with the theme of either “Mount Lawley” or “Heritage”, and the festival is open to all genres, be it comedy, drama or documentary.

The festival will also be open to established filmmakers or newbies — not everyone has to have Nykvist standards of cinematography.

The Society was founded about 40 years ago with the aim of fostering a community spirit, with a focus on preserving older buildings and townscapes.

New chair Paul Collins says they’re keen to get new people interested and expand membership across all demographics and they’re hoping a hip film festival will help.

Stirling city council is a major sponsor and selected films will be up on the big screen at Astor Theatre on November 20, a fitting setting given the art deco cinema’s historic significance.

Registrations close November 5 so get filming soon, and all the info’s on http://mh2408.wixsite.com/hiponheritage

BAYSWATER CEO Francesca Lefante will step down about a year before her contract ends, leaving the city on September 30 with an undisclosed settlement.

The details are confidential, but councillors Dan Bull, Stephanie Coates, Brent Fleeton, Terry Kenyon, Barry McKenna, Alan Radford, John Rifici and Michelle Sutherland were in favour of a deed of settlement including a payment, while Chris Cornish, Catherine Ehrhardt and Sally Palmer voted against it.

The payout was apparently big enough for councillors to consider dipping into the employee entitlements reserve, but they baulked in the end.

The city cut off any pesky media questions at the pass, emailing a statement which said “the terms of the agreement are confidential and, accordingly, neither party will have any further comment to make about the matter,” before we’d asked.

At the same meeting the council agreed on the deed of settlement Ms Lefante’s total annual renumeration package was increased by 1.5 per cent to $316,680 in line with the determination of the salaries and allowances tribunal. She was also given a pass mark as part of a performance review.

Director of finance and corporate services Carissa Bywater will be acting CEO while the council looks for a permanent replacement.

In a joint release about Ms Lefante’s departure, mayor Barry McKenna says “under her stewardship as CEO since 2008, Francesca has steered the ship during some challenging times, including the pressures placed on the organisation during the state government’s ill-fated push for local government reform and the introduction of the Integrated Planning Framework”.

Ms Lefante says: “All things pass and it is now time for me to focus on the challenges ahead.”

by DAVID BELL

PERTH city council’s planning committee has deferred heritage listing a hotel part-owned by lord mayor Lisa Scaffidi following an appeal from her husband who only wants parts of the building protected.

The committee on Tuesday night heard the former Grand Central Hotel on Wellington Street was an alcohol-free “coffee palace” built during the gold rush at the turn of the 19th century. Staff said it is the only one of its kind left and while not significant enough for a state listing, it is worthy of a local listing.

In recent years the building has been a backpackers hostel with a colourful reputation on website reviews and complaints to the council, but it was refurbished and rebranded earlier this year as the “Akara Hotel”.

Mr Scaffidi has previously told the council a complete redevelopment is planned, although he hasn’t given a timeframe.

A deposition presented on his behalf to this week’s committee meeting claimed the hotel bore little resemblance to the original building. Because of that, Mr Scaffidi doesn’t want the whole lot listed.

Economic development and activation director Annaliese Battista told councillors there had already been three heritage reports on the Grand Central since the council first considered its listing in March 2015, and a fourth would not change the staff recommendation to list the whole building.

But committee chair Judy McEvoy agreed with Mr Scaffidi’s request for a deferral, citing the uproar from business owners when the western side of William Street was designated a protected conservation area.

“My mind goes back to William Street, Kakulas Brothers and all that. It just created havoc…I don’t want this to happen again”, Cr McEvoy said.

“There needs to be more tic tac toe between our staff and the planner. Obviously the owner’s not happy…that’s something that needs to be considered.”

Crs Jim Adamos and Keith Yong both vote for the deferral.

Cr Reece Harley, a heritage buff, later told the Voice sections of a building can’t be listed separately.

by TRILOKESH CHANMUGAM