Introduction

Summary

A Rural and Peri-Urban Advisory Committee (Committee) is established to bring together interested community members and industry representatives to engage with Council on wellbeing and sustainability of its rural and peri-urban constituency.

The Rural and Peri-Urban Advisory Committee is to be guided by Council priorities outlined in strategic documents that support the objectives of the Committee including the Clever and Creative Vision, Community Plan and other major strategies/frameworks. The purpose of the Committee is to draw upon local expertise, experience and networks to inform Council decision making through provision of a formal pathway created to collect community and stakeholder input, regular feedback and recommendations.

Advice from the Committee will help to achieve Council’s objective of providing for the best outcomes for the local community having regard to the long term and cumulative effects of decisions. In doing this the Committee will have regard to the need for Council to:

• promote the social, economic and environmental viability and sustainability of the municipal district; and
• improve the overall quality of life of people in the local community; ensure services and facilities provided by Council are accessible and equitable

Objectives and Functions

The objective of the Committee is to consider and provide advice to Council on matters relevant to rural and peri-urban constituents, including:

1. Transition strategies for saleyards services such as:
   1. Livestock exchange
   2. Information exchange
   3. Hygiene and vehicle wash-down
2. Rural and peri-urban agricultural and environmental management practices
3. Bio-security strategies
4. Community Plan strategies
5. Key planning strategies and structure plans
6. Relevant matters referred to the Committee by Council
7. Ongoing community advocacy and policy development for best rural and peri-urban agricultural and environmental management practices
8. Collaboration with G21 members, major and other local, State and Federal government organisations
9. Consideration of past consultation, reports and decisions as well as current and new strategy documents and externally sourced technical information and
10. Undertaking consultation to inform advice as required.

Definitions

Municipal district - means the municipal district of the Greater Geelong City Council.

Neighbouring councils - means the municipal districts of Surf Coast Shire Council, Colac Otway Shire Council and Golden Plains Shire Council.

Terms of references

Term

Committee ends on the day of a Council resolution to abolish the committee.

Membership

Membership and Eligibility

1. The Committee will comprise a membership that is appropriately experienced and skilled in matters affecting Council’s rural and peri-urban community. Membership will be drawn from Council, Council officers, representatives of relevant statutory authorities and community representatives.
2. The term of community membership will be two years.
3. A Councillor will be appointed by Council as chairperson of the Committee for a set term.
4. A Councillor may be appointed as an alternative chairperson to the Committee for a set term.
5. Community members may be reappointed for a second term following an Expression of Interest process, however no more than half of the members who have served a full term may be reappointed at the commencement of a new term, subject to the expression of interest process.

The following persons will be invited to become members of the Committee:

6. Five independent community representatives who are residents or ratepayers of the municipal district representing a balanced and diverse mix of rural and peri-urban interests, including but not limited to such persons who are:
   1. A farmer and/or hobby farmer from the municipality
   2. A member of the Victorian Farmers Federation
   3. A representative of a community environmental network
   4. Residents within the Rural/Peri Urban areas and
   5. An experienced or qualified in biosecurity or agricultural best management practice
7. Four City of Greater Geelong Council officers representing a balanced and diverse mix of Council functions, including:
   1. Land use planning
   2. Economic Development
   3. Community wellbeing and
   4. Agricultural and environmental matters.
8. A representative from Agriculture Victoria and
9. A member representative from each of the following Councils:
   1. Golden Plains Shire
   2. Colac Otway Shire and
   3. Surf Coast Shire.
10. All stated members of the Committee are eligible members.

Chairperson

1. Council, by resolution, will appoint a Councillor to be the chairperson of the Committee for a set term.
2. Council, by resolution, may appoint a Councillor to be the alternative chairperson of the Committee for a set term.

Nomination of Eligible Members

1. Council’s Chief Executive Officer shall nominate City of Greater Geelong Council officer representatives.
2. Statutory authorities will be invited by the Chief Executive Officer to nominate their own representatives.
3. Independent community representatives will be invited onto the Committee via an expressions of interest process. Selection will be made in accordance with the Council’s Committee Representation Policy.

Appointment of Eligible Members

1. Council shall appoint a Councillor as chairperson of the Committee.
2. Council may appoint a Councillor as alternative chairperson of the Committee.
3. The Chief Executive Officer will determine the successful independent community representatives following the internal assessment of expressions of interest.
4. The Chief Executive Officer shall appoint to the Committee:
   1. Council officers;
   2. Statutory authority representatives; and
   3. Independent community representatives.

Length of Appointment of Eligible Members

1. Eligible Members, with the exception of Councillors, will be appointed for a period of two years.
2. Eligible Members must remain as such in order to maintain Committee membership. If an Eligible Member no longer meets the criteria to be an Eligible Member during their term, their Committee membership will be revoked and a new Eligible Member appointed in accordance with the selection process for the remainder of the term, except in circumstances where there remains less than six months of their term.

The Role of a Community Representative

1. Commit to the Terms of Reference of the Committee.
2. Attend any induction/s for Committee members and adhere to standard Codes of Conduct.
3. Attend meetings of the Committee personally (no proxy allowed) and attend at least 80 per cent of all meetings.
4. Abide by best practice in the conduct of Committees by declaring any real or perceived conflicts of interest as soon as they become known.
5. Bring knowledge, skills and experience of sustainability to the Committee and contribute to the development of the Committee’s collective wisdom.
6. Represent the views and ideas of their networks to the Committee and communicate the collective wisdom of the Committee to their networks.
7. Actively contribute by participation in group discussions and offer knowledge and opinions.
8. Treat other representatives with respect and have due regard to the opinions, rights and responsibilities of others.
9. Maintain the confidentiality of all information provided to the Committee unless otherwise advised.
10. Act in a voluntary capacity.

Members representing an organisation are expected to be able to represent the views and ideas of that organisation while participating in the Committee as an individual with their own views, ideas and experience to be contributed for the benefit of the Committee.

Neighbouring Councils

The Council acknowledges the importance of collaborating with its neighbouring Councils to understand the rural and peri-urban needs and issues of the region

Authority

1. The Committee is an advisory committee of Council. It does not have delegated authority.
2. The Committee may appoint working groups to pursue specific projects and issues on an as needs basis however no Secretariat support will be provided for such working groups.
3. The Committee has no financial delegation authority.

Meeting Procedure

1. The Committee will meet quarterly on dates and at times which shall be determined at the first meeting of the Committee, then at the fourth meeting of each annual cycle. Additional meetings of the Committee may be called by the Chairperson if an urgent matter arises, however a meeting of the Committee will not be called with less than two weeks’ notice to all members, unless exceptional circumstances exist.
2. A quorum for a meeting shall be one more than half of the membership of the Committee and must include three of the five independent community representatives.
3. Meeting minutes and agendas will be circulated at least one week prior to the meeting.

Reporting

The Committee shall report to Council annually providing an update of committee activities.

Secretariat

Council’s Chief Executive Officer shall nominate a Council officer to provide secretariat services to the Committee.

Facilities and Resources

Adequate human and financial resources shall be provided to ensure the effective operation of the Committee.

Evaluation

The Committee will review its objectives, activities and participation biennially.

Records

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

Table 1: Record retention and disposal schedule