IHAP rules: councillors lose development application powers

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Campbelltown Council chamber
Campbelltown Council chamber: No longer the seat of power now IHAP is here.

The days of councillors determining development applications are over because now IHAP rules.

The business paper for tomorrow night’s Campbelltown Council meeting details the establishment of an Independent Hearing and Assessment Panel (IHAP) for Campbelltown City Council.

IHAP, which will cost ratepayers close to $100,000 to run, will determine the fate of development applications valued between $5 million and $25 million.

Applications valued below $5 million will be determined by council staff exercising delegated authority, while anything over $25 million is deemed “state significant’’.

The report to council says all of the appointments to IHAP have now been made by the council general manager, Ms Lindy Deitz.

They included Mr Ian Reynolds as chair of the panel and Mr Stuart McDonald and Mr Keith Dedden as alternate chairs, Ms Mary-Lynn Taylor and Ms Jenny Rudolph as the expert members and Mr Scott Lee and Ms Helena Miller as the alternate expert members.

Ms Cecilia Cox was appointed as the community member and Mr Phil Hayward and Mr Edward Saulig as the alternate community members.

All appointments were for three years.

The panel chair will be paid $2,000 plus GST per meeting, while the remuneration for the independent experts has been set at $1,500 plus GST per meeting.

Community representatives will be paid a minimum of $500 up to a maximum of $1,500 plus GST per meeting.

The report to council states that “assuming one panel meeting is held each month, the annual cost would be approximately $80,000’’.

The introduction of IHAP means that councillors are now excluded from determining any development applications.

Development applications will now be determined either by council staff under delegated authority, the local IHAP or the relevant Sydney Planning Panel.

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Cr Warren Morrison
Cr Warren Morrison, left, is fighting to retain free parking at Campbelltown Hospital.

Councillor Warren Morrison will tomorrow night ramp up opposition to the introduction of paid parking at Campbelltown Hospital.

Cr Morrison has abled a notice of motion for the meeting, calling on council to declare that it is committed  “to patients, visitors and staff at Campbelltown Hospital having access to free parking’’.

He also wants council to write to health minister Brad Hazzard, “stating our objection to the introduction of paid parking for patients, visitors and staff at Campbelltown Hospital’’.

Cr Morrison says he wants council to investigate its capacity to secure free or subsidised parking at Campbelltown Hospital for patients, visitors and staff.

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Greens councillor Ben Moroney has tabled a notice of motion asking council to investigate the traffic concerns of Eagleview Road, Minto, who have prepared a petition asking for action.

Councillor Ben Moroney also wants council to investigate the possible implementation of an organic bin program for Campbelltown.

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