14/10/2018
CONTENTIOUS ISSUE - AGENDA ITEM 2.1 – 24TH OCTOBER 2018 – MIDLAND OVAL REDEVELOPMENT PRECINCT BUSINESS PLAN (MORM)
One of the three most contentious issues in the City of Swan is the MORM. The MORM has caused 2 Special Electors Meetings, years and years of discussion within the Council, with Current (and former) Councillors making impassioned pleas to move forward or reject the MORM. This was the issue which caused Cr. Kiely to move forward a motion to increase our rates by 20%, which I am vehemently against, and in turn has forced the Mayor to make ‘scathing’ comments about the motion, forced the Deputy Mayor to do a video and one of our Councillors to declare his position even before the vote.
The recommendation from Council is as follows:-
That the Council resolve to:
1) Endorse the results of the Midland Oval Redevelopment Precinct Business Plan survey; and
2) Approve the MORP Business Plan considering the results of the consultation, pursuant to s3.59 of the Local Government Act (1995).
The survey results noted that 1216 participants in Whiteman Ward returned the survey, in which 70% were in favour for the MORM.
Comment:- This motion is going to take up a significant amount of time in Council this week. There will be dozens of Public Statements and questions about this issue. This issue is causing a considerable divide in Council at the moment. The proposed cost of the MORM could be in excess of $100 million. Seven Ratepayers Associations within the City of Swan have provided comments about this issue, and they are uneasy about the financial assumptions being made by the City of Swan and the independent analysis undertaken.