November Council meeting was very busy, with most time debating transport related issues, but a number of important climate related measures and policies were also approved with limited debate, including a Fossil Fuel Advertising ban on Council land, consideration of Council extreme heat measures, and the Sports Ground Surfaces Policy.

Sports grounds Surface Policy

This policy had its origins in the dispute over upgrading Hosken Reserve north oval to a synthetic surface fenced soccer pitch. (Refer Synthetic Turf Campaign page)

The Policy is about efficient management of sports surfaces incorporating triple bottom line considerations of social, economic and environmental costs and benefits. This brings Council into line with governance obligations in the Local Government Act. It puts selection of sports surfaces on a scientific and good governance model. Transparency of decision making is improved in the final policy as a result of the Climate Action Merribek submission. There is no standardised weighting attributed to each factor of the decision-making framework, but factors considered for each project and its specific circumstances.

This policy does not ban installation and use of synthetic turf, but means use of Artificial Turf needs to be fully justified and carefully weighed up for current and future use, including all its environmental impacts and considering the precautionary principle. See the Conversations Merr-bek website for documents in developing the Sports Grounds policy

This policy will be shared with State Government agencies, other Councils, schools and kindergartens as part of Council’s advocacy activities. Applies to a wide range of sports surfaces including soccer, football, tennis, lawn bowls, hockey.

Cr Conlan moved, Cr Pulford seconded –
That Council:

1. Adopts the revised Sportsgrounds Surface Policy (the Policy) at Attachment 1,
   based on feedback from the recent community engagement.
2. Amends the Policy to include a requirement that any proposed new synthetic
   sporting ground is subject to Council consideration and decision.
3. Notes the Community Feedback Report at Attachment 2 that has shaped the
   revised Policy.
4. Endorses the development of decision-making guidelines for Sportsground
   Surface investment decisions to be published online and referenced in the
   Policy.
5. Endorses the use of ‘consult’ level of engagement ahead of procurement for
   future Sportsground Surface projects, following Council’s Community
   Engagement Policy.

(Checked against Council minutes)

Community Support During Extreme Heat

This is important for Climate adaptation to extreme heat. Parts of Merribek have high social vulnerability to extreme heat. Community support is needed for vulnerable groups to enhance climate resilience. Council Officers consulted with Blacktown City Council on the effectiveness of implementation of heat refuges.

Motion 

1. Supports the community during extreme heat events through:

• (a) Making community venues available in Merri-bek for the 2023-2024 summer for people to seek respite during extreme heat events, including extended operating hours, as outlined in the report;
• (b) Other actions as set out in the report, including monitoring of vulnerable clients of Council services and targeted communications to the wider community and vulnerable groups.

2. Continues to liaise with other Councils, Emergency Services agencies and the State Government to ensure the adequacy of planning and resourcing of community support during extreme heat events.

The Motion was carried.

The Council report identifies:

“Extreme Heat is identified as a high risk within Merri-bek in the Community Emergency Risk Assessment (CERA), given its likelihood and potential consequences. This risk rating informs the Extreme Heat Plan which is a sub-plan of the Municipal Emergency Management Plan which outlines Council’s roles and responsibilities during emergencies including periods of extreme heat as outlined in this Report.”

“Seasonal pools will extend their hours if the weather is 32 degrees or above.” Is this projected Daily Tmean or projected daily Tmax?

In addition to extended hours in the case of swimming pools a number of other measures are implemented on high heat days to support the community, with a particular focus on vulnerable residents. These include:

• Monitoring of local impacts by Council Officers in line with their Emergency Management roles and communication with external emergency services and support agencies and internally across Council.  
• Communications and engagement: passing on Dept of Health advice to community members on how to stay safe during periods of high heat and information about local impacts including any changes to Council services or events. 
• Monitoring of vulnerable people who receive Council services such as Aged and Community Support and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) clients. 
• MCH clients can stay longer than usual at centres if they wish to, following a routine appointment on days of high heat. 
• Seasonal outdoor pools offer extended opening hours on high heat days (32 degrees and above). 
• Merri-bek libraries make drinking water available to the public in libraries on high heat days and this is always available at Glenroy Community Hub. 
• Engagement with community leaders and connectors to discuss heat health and planning and develop specific strategies and communications to reach isolated or at-risk communities. 
• Council partner agencies also monitor vulnerable clients, including Vincent Care who have measures in place on high heat days to support homeless people.

Assessment by council officers has found vulnerabilities in various council buildings. There are presently no Council buildings used for heat respite that have independent backup power to guarantee air-conditioned respite if the power grid fails. The solution may be as simple as ensuring solar panels connected to a battery system to run air-conditioning in a heat emergency.

“Council officers have recently led a process of assessing the vulnerability of several Council buildings to climate change. The project assessed eight sample buildings in Merri-bek for resilience to climate change, considering their existing functions. Some of these buildings may be used by community during extreme heat events including Brunswick Town Hall, Brunswick, and Coburg Library. Based on the assessment, a number of vulnerabilities have been found which will require further consideration and potential investment to improve their performance during extreme weather events.”

The report highlights there are Legal and risk considerations in not considering duty of care and taking measures to assist residents during extreme heat events:

“Local Government has a clear duty of care in the context of climate change adaptation. The actions outlined in this report along other related strategies allow Council to understand, communicate, and proactively address climate risk. This will limit exposure to legal and financial liability which could otherwise result from a failure to appropriately plan, adapt and build resilience to now foreseeable and unavoidable climate impacts.”

Banning Fossil Fuel Advertising on Council Land

The importance of this motion is largely symbolic. Council Officers investigated the issues and found little likely impact in their report. After consultation with Sports Clubs direct impact was zero, noting there may be indirect impact on grant funding. Contracts and leases such as for sports clubs in use of Sports Grounds may need to be updated to facilitate this policy.

The report Executive Summary:

In 2018, Merri-bek declared a climate emergency and in 2019 Council passed the Zero Carbon Merri-bek Strategy to take a leading role in decarbonising our city, transitioning to net-zero emissions. The burning of fossil fuels is the major cause of the climate emergency.

Climate action consistent with the science requires new coal, oil and gas to remain in the ground and our energy system to urgently transition to 100% clean renewable energy.

Council has been approached by Comms Declare, a volunteer run, nonpartisan group of communications professionals committed to a transition to a climate friendly future. Comms Declare has commenced a campaign to ban fossil fuel advertising in Australia and is seeking support from local Councils to ban fossil fuel advertising in their local communities.

A ban on advertising of fossil fuel companies on Council land could be a positive addition to the suite of existing Council initiatives designed to support tenants of Council-owned buildings and facilities to be less reliant on fossil fuels in the context of the climate emergency.

A survey was undertaken of all active tenants of Council owned and managed land, seeking input to understand what a ban on fossil fuel advertising would mean for them and what each organisation’s position was in relation to climate action. Of the 22 responses, all respondents indicated they had no current fossil fuel advertising, with 2% stating the introduction of such a ban may have an organisational impact: primarily relating to grants and funding.

Should a decision be made to introduce a ban on fossil fuel company advertising on Council land, updates would be made to Council’s draft Lease and License Policy, the draft Allocation and Use of Sporting Facilities, Grounds and Pavilions Policy, and its accompanying User Guide incorporating this prohibition. Additionally, changes to formal agreements could be phased in as lease and licence agreements are renewed or negotiated.

The motion passed was That Council:

1. Not permit advertising on Council land which specifically promotes fossil fuel companies, or companies which are directly involved in the extraction, production and/or processing of coal, oil and gas.
2. Notes the definitions of ‘fossil fuel’, ‘fossil fuel company’ and ‘Council Land’ as provided in the Council report which articulate the scope of this resolution.
3. Includes in the draft Lease and Licence Policy, the draft Allocation and Use of Sporting Facilities, Grounds and Pavilions Policy, and its accompanying User Guide to reference the prohibition of advertising of companies that produce or supply fossil fuels on Council land.
4. Notes that agreements with tenants relating to this initiative would be phased in as lease, licence, land-related contracts and allocation agreements are renewed or negotiated.