Late Items Agenda of Ordinary Meeting - Thursday, 25 August 2022

Ordinary Meeting Late Agenda 25 August 2022

8.9 Council of Mayors South East Queensland – Proposed Delegation to North America

File No: Council Meetings

Author: Chief Strategy Officer

Office of the CEO

Attachments: Att 1 - Proposed Itinerary........................................................... 9 ⇩

purpose

This report seeks Council’s approval for Mayor Jamieson to undertake overseas travel from 2-12 February 2023 to participate in a Council of Mayors South East Queensland (COMSEQ) delegation to North America.

The reason for this report being presented as a late report is the timeframe associated with enabling COMSEQ to confirm and secure group booking travel arrangements. The Mayor’s participation in this delegation cannot be confirmed until authorisation to undertake the overseas travel has been provided by Council.

Executive Summary

At its Board Meeting on 29 April 2022, COMSEQ committed to examining the opportunity for the Mayors of SEQ to undertake an international delegation to North America (San Francisco and Los Angeles in the United States of America and Vancouver in Canada) in February 2023 to gain contemporary insights to emerging opportunities and challenges relevant to SEQ. The delegation will be led by the Chair of the COMSEQ, the Lord Mayor of the City of Brisbane, Councillor Adrian Schrinner.

The intent of the proposed delegation is to examine regional and coordinated approaches to growth management, housing affordability, mass transit, smart mobility solutions, waste management and resource recovery (including clean-technologies and the circular economy).

The proposed delegation will also be undertaking meetings to better understand the opportunities which the City of Los Angeles is taking to leverage trade, investment and legacy opportunities associated with hosting the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

At this time, ten of the eleven councils that comprise COMSEQ will be participating in the proposed delegation, with the majority of delegates being the Mayor of the respective council. The duration of the proposed delegation involves eight days of meetings and associated site visits and approximately three days (collectively) of air travel. The proposed itinerary for the delegation is provided at Attachment 1.

The focal areas of the proposed delegation program are aligned to Council’s regional strategies, Corporate Plan 2022-2026 and 2022-2023 Operational Plan. The learnings, relationships and strategic connections that could be established from participating in this proposed delegation are potentially considerable, particularly given Council’s planning for forecast growth and the impacts of a changing climate and Council’s role as a key delivery partner for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Given this is a high-level local government delegation and its coverage of a broad range of subject areas of interest to Sunshine Coast Council, it is proposed that Mayor Jamieson be authorised to undertake overseas travel in an official capacity to participate in the delegation. The nomination of Mayor Jamieson to participate in the proposed delegation is also consistent with the Mayor’s responsibilities under the adopted Councillor Portfolio System and Protocols (adopted on 30 April 2020) and the Mayor’s position as the Council representative on, and Director of, COMSEQ.

COMSEQ will meet a number of costs associated with the Mayor’s participation in the proposed delegation to North America, with the balance of costs to be met by Council (if participation in the delegation is approved by Council). COMSEQ has received advice from its travel agency on flight schedules and pricing to accommodate a group booking of this scale and needs to confirm these arrangements by 25 August 2022 to secure the proposed group booking. Payment will need to be made within 14 days of confirming the group booking. In line with the requirements of Council’s International Relations Policy, authority from Council for the Mayor to undertake overseas travel in an official capacity is required prior to confirming the Mayor’s participation in the delegation.

Officer Recommendation

That Council:

(a) receive and note the report titled "Council of Mayors South East Queensland – Proposed Delegation to North America"

(b) approve for Mayor Mark Jamieson to undertake overseas travel in an official capacity on 2 – 12 February 2023 to participate in the Council of Mayors South East Queensland proposed delegation to North America

(c) authorise the expenditure of up to $12,000 by Council to cover the balance of air travel and other incidental costs associated with Mayor Jamieson’s participation in the Council of Mayors South East Queensland delegation to North America, with this expenditure to be met from the existing budget for the Office of the Mayor and

(d) note that costs associated with Mayor Jamieson’s travel to North America – namely accommodation, meals, on-ground transport and a contribution to airfares - will be met by the Council of Mayors South East Queensland.

Finance and Resourcing

COMSEQ has advised that it will meet the following costs associated with the Mayor’s participation in the proposed delegation to North America:

· A contribution towards the cost of return airfares

· Accommodation in the locations to be visited by the delegation (with accommodation selected and determined by COMSEQ)

· All meals

· All on-ground, in-country, transportation.

Based on the travel costings and advice provided by COMSEQ, Council would need to be meet the balance of the cost of business class airfares plus any other official incidental costs incurred by the Mayor during the proposed delegation. It is estimated that up to $12,000 will be required to meet these additional costs. Sufficient funds are available in the 2022-2023 approved budget for the Office of the Mayor to meet the estimated additional costs.

Council may nominate an officer to accompany the Mayor as part of the delegation, but all travel and accommodation costs for any accompanying Council officer will need to be met by Council. It is a matter for the Chief Executive Officer, in consultation with the Mayor, to determine whether a Council officer participates in the delegation.

Corporate Plan

Corporate Plan Goal: Our outstanding organisation

Outcome: We serve our community by providing this great service.

Operational Activity: S30 - Governance – providing internal leadership, legal opinion, governance and audit functions ensuring legislative accountability, transparency and ethical obligations are supported.

Corporate Plan Goal: Our resilient economy

Outcome: 3.3 - Investment and growth in high value industries, innovation and entrepreneurship.

Operational Activity: 3.3.2 - Work with key stakeholders to identify investment opportunities, undertake marketing activities and support investment projects across the region's high value industries.

Corporate Plan Goal: Our resilient economy

Outcome: 3.5 - A natural, major and regional event destination.

Operational Activity: 3.5.2 - Implement priority activities from the Major Events Strategy 2018-2027 including: strengthening arts and cultural events, capitalising on the growing demand for off road and adventure style events and ensuring close alignment with opportunities identified from the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Corporate Plan Goal: Our resilient economy

Outcome: 3.4 - Strong local to global connections.

Operational Activity: 3.4.1 - Drive export activity from the Sunshine Coast and support local businesses to expand into national and international markets by providing access to specialist services, contacts and training and partnering with State and Federal Government trade agencies for in-market assistance.

Consultation

Councillor Consultation

Mayor Jamieson has been consulted in the preparation of this report.

The Deputy Mayor Councillor Baberowski has also been consulted in relation to his availability to act as Mayor for the period whilst Mayor Jamieson is travelling overseas.

Internal Consultation

The Acting Chief of Staff has been informed of this proposed delegation and the proposal that the Mayor participate in the delegation.

External Consultation

Consultation has been undertaken with COMSEQ in relation to the proposed travel arrangements, itinerary and briefings required for the proposed delegation.

Community Engagement

There has been no Community Engagement undertaken in relation to this item.

Proposal

At its Board Meeting on 29 April 2022, COMSEQ committed to examining the opportunity for the Mayors of SEQ to undertake an international delegation to North America (San Francisco and Los Angeles in the United States of America and Vancouver in Canada) in February 2023. The delegation will be led by the Chair of the COMSEQ, the Lord Mayor of the City of Brisbane, Councillor Adrian Schrinner.

The focus areas for the proposed delegation are to:

· examine regional and coordinated approaches to growth management, housing affordability, waste management and resource recovery (including clean-technologies and the circular economy)

· understand how other local governments are working to improve regional mass transport outcomes and the adoption of new smart mobility solutions, including zero emission vehicles and regional energy storage infrastructure to support regional mass movement of people and goods

· investigate how city regions leverage the Olympic and Paralympic Games to advance their global brand proposition and explore intergovernmental initiatives used to promote trade and investment attraction

· position SEQ as a destination for trade and investment by promoting a regional approach that complements the economic development work of member councils

· formalise a strategic partnership between Metro Vancouver and COMSEQ for areas of shared interest, including but not limited to urban growth management, environmental waste management / clean technologies and transport infrastructure; and

· attract a delegation of North American Mayors and urban leaders to SEQ to participate in the Asia Pacific Cities Summit (APCS) & Mayors Summit (11-13 October 2023) and securing sufficient interest for a host city in North America to bid to host the 2025 APCS.

Given this is a high-level local government delegation and its coverage of a broad range of subject areas of interest to Sunshine Coast Council, it is proposed that Mayor Jamieson be authorised to undertake overseas travel in an official capacity to participate in the proposed delegation. This nomination is also consistent with the Mayor’s responsibilities under the adopted Councillor Portfolio System and Protocols (adopted on 30 April 2020) and Mayor Jamieson’s position as the Council representative on, and Director of, COMSEQ.

Each of the focal areas of the proposed delegation program are key areas of interest to Council as represented in its regional strategies, 2022-2026 Corporate Plan and 2022-2023 Operational Plan. For example, housing affordability, mass transit, smart mobility systems and contemporary approaches to waste management are all matters that Council is currently examining as part of the development of its new Planning Scheme, the advancement of its Integrated Transport Strategy and the continuing implementation of its Environment and Liveability Strategy 2017. Likewise, Council is currently working with its Sunshine Coast 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games Legacy Planning Community Reference Group to develop an appropriate and fit for purpose legacy plan that will best advance the interests of the region. That work could potentially benefit from insights to some of the learnings and experiences of Los Angeles which will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games four years prior to the Brisbane Games.

The learnings, relationships and strategic connections that could be established from participating in this proposed delegation – and their consequential value to the Sunshine Coast – have been assessed as potentially considerable, particularly given Council’s planning for forecast growth and the impacts of a changing climate and Council’s role as a key delivery partner for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Should Council authorise the Mayor to undertake the overseas travel proposed in this report, the Mayor will need to update his Register of Interests to record the receipt of travel and accommodation funded by COMSEQ.

Legal

There are no known legal issues associated with Mayor Jamieson participating in the proposed delegation to North America with COMSEQ. All immigration requirements of the governments of the United States of America and Canada will be complied with as part of the Mayor’s participation in the proposed delegation.

Policy

There are no identified potential conflicts with Council policies associated with the recommendations in this report. Specifically, the Mayor’s proposed participation in the COMSEQ delegation is not inconsistent with the requirements of Council’s International Relations Policy. By virtue of clause 11 (1) (c) of the Constitution of COMSEQ Pty Ltd, Mayor Jamieson is a director of, and Council’s representative on the Board of Directors of, COMSEQ.

Risk

Whilst there is always a risk of negative public reaction to expenditure associated with undertaking international travel, it needs to be borne in mind that:

· the cost of Mayor Jamieson’s participation in the proposed delegation is being partially met by COMSEQ; and

· there is a clear advantage for the Sunshine Coast and for Council in Mayor Jamieson participating in the delegation and in establishing valuable contacts relevant to planning for and progressing a range of priority activities for Council.

Council will continue to monitor the travel advisory service provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in order to respond appropriately to any heightened level of travel risk that might eventuate prior to February 2023. At the present time, the travel advice from DFAT for Canada and the United States of America is to exercise normal safety precautions.

Previous Council Resolution

While Council has previously considered reports in relation to proposed overseas travel by the Mayor and other Councillors, Council has not previously considered a report in relation to participation in this proposed COMSEQ international delegation.

Related Documentation

· Constitution of COMSEQ Pty Ltd.

· COMSEQ Operational Plan 2021-2024

· Sunshine Coast Council Corporate Plan 2022-2026

· Sunshine Coast Council Operational Plan 2022-2023

· Sunshine Coast Council Councillor Portfolio System and Protocols

Critical Dates

Council needs to confirm by 25 August 2022 whether Mayor Jamieson will participate in the proposed COMSEQ delegation to North America in order to secure the proposed group booking. Payment will need to be made within 14 days of confirming the group booking.

In line with the requirements of Council’s International Relations Policy, authority from Council for the Mayor to undertake overseas travel in an official capacity is required in order to confirm the Mayor’s participation in the delegation.

Implementation

Should the recommendations in this report be accepted by Council, COMSEQ will be advised to confirm Mayor Jamieson as Council’s representative in the delegation to North America. Travel arrangements will be confirmed subsequent to that advice.

A further report will be provided to Councillors on the outcomes of the delegation in the first quarter of 2023.