Council meeting agenda - 4 June 2012 - Clarence City Council

CLARENCE CITY COUNCIL – 4 JUNE 2012 19
The review would look at the efficiency and effectiveness of current practices in the
management of events benchmarked against industry standards and guidelines for public
event management with an emphasis on risk and public safety.
2. Review of Council Office OH&S Responsibilities
The Council has a clear legal responsibility to all persons occupying/visiting its facilities.
Its workplaces are required to cater not only for a large number of office-based staff, but
Aldermen, committee members and the public. Office accommodation is incorporated in
several locations including the Council offices, depot, Family Day Care facility and
School House Gallery. These facilities have varying characteristics: The Council offices
are some 40 years old with the last meaningful alteration being undertaken in the mid
1990’s (the area currently occupied by Integrated Assessment); the Council Chambers
and reception area is essentially original; the Council depot is a similar vintage and has
undergone little significant change; the Family Day Care facility was constructed within
the last 10 years; and the School House Gallery was designed as a replica heritage
structure.
The needs of both the organisation and the Council itself have not diminished over time
and the offices in particular have experienced a continual increase in demand and need
for space. It would be appropriate to assess the various office and public spaces in
respect of OH&S obligations to staff, Aldermen, committee members and general public.
Advice would need to be obtained with respect to such an assessment. However, it
would likely consider issues such as appropriate areas of space, access/egress, corridors
and other elements of physical layout, security, fire systems, temperature and air quality
control, and electrical, data and communication wiring. Issues such as public access,
capacity and DDA compliance are also matters relevant particularly in respect to the
Council Chamber and meeting environments which were designed before many of the
current regulations on such matters were in place.
3. Child Care, School Holiday Programme and Out of School Hours Care
Council operates a range of services in respect to the delivery of children support
services within the community. These programmes are funded/administered by the
Commonwealth and State Governments (with Council as the delivery agency) and entail
service delivery, reporting, claims processing obligations for Council.