Introduction

Summary

The Heritage Advisory Committee (the Committee) has been formed to assist and advise Council on cultural and natural heritage matters within the Municipality.

Objectives

The objectives of the Committee include:

• Celebrate and promote awareness of cultural heritage within the Municipality.
• Provide advice on marketing and promotion opportunities for heritage within the Municipality.
• Provide advice and recommendations to Council on the documentation interpretation management and conservation of history and heritage including places objects collections in the Municipality.
• Make recommendations to Council about further work required to identify document protect conserve and promote the heritage of the Municipality.
• Provide recommendations for nominations of places to Local State or National heritage registers.
• Advocate in a professional manner on behalf of the community and celebrate the community 's history and heritage.
• Assist Council in sourcing external funding or sponsorship opportunities to undertake heritage identification conservation promotion management and education.

Definitions

Committee – Heritage Advisory Committee

Council – City of Greater Geelong

Municipality – City of Greater Geelong

Terms of Reference

Expected / Definite life of the Committee

The Committee is established by Council as an Advisory Committee and shall continue until revoked by Council.

Constituency of the Committee

The Committee shall be chaired by an elected Councillor being the appointed Councillor(s) for the Heritage Portfolio or as otherwise appointed by Council.

The membership of the Committee shall be appointed by the CEO and consist of the following members:

• Two ex officio and non-voting Council officer members nominated by the Director of City Planning and Economy from Urban Design & Heritage and Arts & Culture;
• Council 's Senior Heritage Planner in an ex officio and non-voting capacity;
• One ex officio and voting member from the Geelong Library Corporation Heritage Centre (Manager);
• One voting member from each of the following 12 community organisations. Each organisation will be invited to nominate its own representative. A second member from each organisation is welcome to attend the Committee meetings but only the nominated member from each organisation will have a vote:
  • The Geelong Historical Society
  • Bellarine Historical Society
  • Lara Heritage & Historical Inc.
  • Little River Historical Society Inc.
  • Mt Duneed History Group
  • National Trust Geelong
  • North Shore and Norlane Stories
  • Wathaurung Aboriginal Corporation (Wadawurrung)
  • Geelong Environment Council
  • Osborne Park Association
  • Geelong One Fire Reconciliation Group
  • Royal Geelong Agricultural and Pastoral Society.
• Four individual members representing the interests of the wider public not affiliated with any of the groups above each of whom will have a vote. These members to be appointed as per 4.3.

All voting members of the Committee shall have normal voting rights.

Should a Committee member resign and if there is more than 6 months of the term remaining Council will seek a replacement to serve the remainder of the term of appointment in accordance with the original selection process.

Selection Process

• Expressions of interest for appointment as individual members of the public shallbecalled for in local newspapers and on Council 's website for a period of not less than 2 weeks.
• Membership will be on the basis of:
  • Expertise or proven heritage interest
  • Members must primarily reside or work within the municipality or be an active member of a local community organization within the municipality or be an office bearer in a state or national heritage-related organisation
  • Knowledge of conservation and historical issues affecting the Municipality and
  • The ability to  access  heritage  or  other community  networks  and  stakeholder groups.
• A review panel comprising no less than 3 officers of Council will receive nominations and make recommendations for the CEO to considerand appoint members of the Committee.

Length of Appointment

Members shall be appointed for a period of two years and are eligible for re-nomination.

Chair and Councillor Representatives

• Council will appoint at least one representative to the Committee as its Chair.
• A second Council representative may be appointed by Council.
• Council representatives shall each have a vote and the Chair shall have an additional casting vote if required to break a deadlock.
• Other Councillors are welcome to participate as non-voting members.
• Councillor members shall be appointed in accordance with the Committee Representation Council Policy.

Expectation of Members

All Committee members are expected to:

• Actively participate in Committee discussions and offer their opinions and views treat all persons with respect and have due regard to the opinions rights and responsibilities of others
• Act with integrity
• Attend each meeting in person where practical or attend online if unable to attend in person
• Declare any personal interest pecuniary interest or other potential conflict of interest
• Promote the Committee and its consideration of heritage matters without publicly disclosing any confidential or culturally sensitive information considered by the Committee
• Be aware of the activities interests and concerns of heritage and history groups in the municipality and
• Have an understanding of and interest in Greater Geelong heritage and history.

Limitations of the Committee

The Committee is advisory and has no decision-making role in:

• the regulatory and operational management of heritage by the City
• in expending money on behalf of Council
• committing Council to any arrangement
• considering and advising on any matter outside its area of reference and
• directing Council officers in the performance of their duties.

Meeting Procedure

The Committee will meet quarterly but may meet more regularly when deemed necessary by the Chair owing to exceptional circumstances.

The frequency of any sub-committee / working group meetings will be determined by the Chair of each sub- committee.

A Deputy Chair will be appointed or nominated by the Council to preside in the absence of the Chair. Where the Chair and Deputy Chair are both absent the meeting will be deferred.

The secretary of the Committee shall be one of the Council Officers. The secretary will undertake administrative duties on behalf of the Committee such as preparing the agenda taking minutes preparing correspondence and Council reports liaising with other Council Officers and undertaking other tasks that may arise.

All Committee correspondence is to occur through the Secretariat.

The Committee 's position on any issue under consideration will be made by a majority vote by members present or when determined by the Committee by proxy. In the event of an equal number of votes the Chair shall have an additional casting vote.

The Committee shall have a quorum which is equal to one-half plus one of the total number of voting Committee members.

When the Committee's business involves matters in which one or more members have a conflict of interest or when their presence may inhibit full discussion those members should withdraw from the part of the meeting that relates to such matters.

Council must receive apologies for all meetings no later than 2 pm on the afternoon of the meeting. If a quorum cannot be met committee members will be notified that the meeting is cancelled.

Reporting Requirements

The Committee will report to Council via the Urban Design and Heritage department.

Secretariat

A Council Officer within the Urban Design and Heritage Unit will be responsible for recording of minutes and reporting recommendations of the Committee to Council.

Facilities and Resources

Adequate human and financial resources shall be provided to ensure the effective operation of the Advisory Committee on a quarterly basis.

Records

Records shall be retained for at least the period shown below.

Table 1: Record retention and disposal schedule