Hilltops Council approved the Hilltops Activities Approval Policy to be placed on public exhibition for 42 days along with advocating to change the law around the collection of firewood from local roads at its most recent Council meeting.
Cr Dodd, Cr Davis, Cr Douglas, Cr Flanery, Cr Foreman, Cr Gallo, Cr Ingram, Cr Langford, Cr Mackay and Cr Stadtmiller voted to resolve that Council approve the policy to be placed on public exhibition, if there are no submissions received within the exhibition period to endorse the General Manager to adopt the draft policy and advocate that the law be changed to allow collection of firewood from Council local roads.
Cr Blackwell voted against the resolution.
"The Hilltops Activities Approval Policy has been developed and adopted under Chapter 7, Part 3 of the Local Government Act (1993) (the Act)," the report to Council read.
"This policy is designed to outline specific activities which may be carried out, under certain circumstances, without the need to obtain Section 68 approval from Council."
Some of the amendments and updates made to the policy include new exemptions for activities such as street stalls/raffles/collections, use of footpath for advertising signage and display of goods, amusement devises and outdoor dining.
It also includes a new clause in relation to the breach of policy/conditions of approval and removal of limit to number of permissible advertising flags and updated legislated clauses for exemptions in certain circumstances.
Cr Flanery moved the amendment in regards to the collection of firewood.
"As you know, we put this to the LGA and it was supported that rural councils allow the collection of firewood from approved roadsides," Cr Flanery said.
"When I look at this Activities Approval Policy I think it's a move in the right direction and I would like to see one of those activities approvals be the collection of firewood by local ratepayers.
"Whether this has to go back to the Office of Local Government or whether we can add it in to our approvals, I am not sure.
"Noting the overarching process of this Activities Approvals Policy, you still have to adhere to whatever the underlying law is."
Director of Planning Jamie Dyhrberg said the Policy refers to a very specific chapter in the Local Government Act.
"So there's a prescribed list of matters of which we can essentially grant exemptions to make the process easier," Mr Dyhrberg said.
"The collecting of roadside debris trees an the like is not part of that schedule."
Cr Flanery then changed his amendment that Council advocate that the removal of roadside firewood be added to the charter.
The General Manager said that he was happy to write another letter from Council advocating to change the law surrounding the collection of firewood on Council roads.
Cr Blackwell asked the Director why the policy was going to be on public exhibition for 42 days rather than the 28 days items are usually exhibited for.
"A quirk in the Local Government Act where policies done under this element of the Act have 28 days for public exhibition but an extended period for people to make submissions," Mr Dyhrberg said.
Cr Langford asked the Director who would be 'policing' the policy.
"We would police it," Mr Dyhrberg said.
"There is an element of self regulation, but as you know we now have a new enforcement policy, so when we find people in breach we will be active in terms of achieving compliance.
"We will be doing work with each of the business association and local businesses to make them aware of their obligations to be mindful about where they put their chairs and signs and the like."
Cr Flanery thanked his fellow Councillors.
"I think it's fantastic that some red tape is being removed from some of the areas we police," Cr Flanery said of the policy.
"(It's) long overdue and hopefully we can add to the list of approvals over time."
The recommendation then went to a vote and was passed eight to one.