Some changes to the way in which planning applications are dealt with in Hepburn Shire will be trialed for 18 months following a decision by the Hepburn Shire Council.

Under pre-existing arrangements planning applications had been dealt with by the council’s planning officers guided by planning frameworks and policy, but have been required to go before the council for decision where there were at least five objectors.

An officer recommendation that went before the council meeting on Tuesday December 17 sought to increase this threshold from five to 15 objectors required before an application would need to be referred to the council for decision.

The reason for seeking the change was in order to streamline and expedite the processing of applications.

However at the meeting Councillor Lesley Hewitt presented an alternative motion requiring at least 10 (rather than the recommended minimum of 15) objections be required before triggering the need for an application to go before the council.

Cr Hewitt’s new motion also differentiated between the farming and urban or residential context, proposing that the limit for triggering the need for council determination should remain fixed at the current minimum of five objectors in the case of applications relating to land zoned for farming.

“Community feedback suggests that the change from five to 15 objectors is too high,” Cr Hewitt said in moving her alternative motion.

Cr Hood seconded Cr Hewitt’s motion and it passed 5:1 with only Cr Tim Drylie voting against Cr Hewitt’s motion and instead seeking a deferral of the matter and Cr Tony Clark an apology for the meeting.

“I support going from five to 10 objectors. I think 15 was a bridge too far and I fully support (Cr Hewitt’s amended) motion,” Cr Hood said.

Also supporting the motion, Cr Shirley Cornish said “the farming zone is so very different to a residential zone”.

The officer’s original recommendation had also sought to require that planning applications of more than $5 million in value should be referred to the council – up from the $2 million threshold for a referral to council which has been in place to date.

However, Cr Hewitt’s successful motion instead dropped reference to a dollar value threshold for triggering a referral to council, instead requiring an application to be referred to council where it meets one or more of five specific criteria.

These criteria included where “the planning permit application raises significant issues of public interest” and where it would result in a use or development contrary to the adopted Future Hepburn Strategies or a proposed planning scheme amendment which is supported by council”.

Formalising an informal practice which had already been in place, Cr Hewitt’s successful motion also requires that the council’s CEO implement a process where councillors can “call in” to a councillor briefing any planning permit if a minimum of three councillors seek such a “call-in”.

The new arrangements will now be temporarily in place for 18 months and after that time officers will present a report to the council on the outcomes and provide further recommendations on whether to continue with the changes.

During the meeting councillors heard that in the last 18 months only one planning decision made by the council had been different to the planning officer recommendation.

It also heard that over the last four year term fewer than 10 applications had involved the council making a planning determination that was different to the planning officer recommendation.

And in the 23-24 financial year of the five matters that had ended up being determined by VCAT, four of those had upheld the council’s decision while the only one that had not been supported at VCAT was one in which the councillors had overturned an officer recommendation.

Words: Eve Lamb

Hepburn Shire’s Councillor Don Henderson has been elected mayor with Councillor Lesley Hewitt elected as deputy mayor for the first year of the new four-year council term.

Cr Henderson said he was extremely proud to lead and have the support of the new councillor group.

“It is an honour to take on this role and I feel privileged to represent the community of Hepburn Shire,” Cr Henderson said.

Cr Henderson has been on council since 2008. He has worked as a self-employed construction contractor and safety and industrial relations consultant.

He has been advisor to the Australian Workers Union and the Victorian Building Industry Board and president of the Ballarat Trades and Labour Council.

The new Hepburn Shire mayor has also held a role with the inaugural steering committee of National Women in Construction, was the secretary of the Building Workers Industrial Union and has served as a board member and director on company and industry boards and the Homeless Building Trust.

Cr Henderson was born and raised on the Creswick goldfields and has also served as mayor from 2013 to 2014 and again in 2018 to 2019, and deputy mayor from 2012 to 2013.

Councillor Lesley Hewitt, elected as deputy mayor, also for a one-year term, is a retired social worker who has worked in sexual assault and child protection front line services and policy development.

Cr Hewitt was Hepburn Shire Council mayor from 2020 to 2021 and deputy mayor from November 2022 to November 2023.

“I look forward to supporting Councillor Don Henderson in the mayoral role and continuing to support the community in our new unsubdivided council structure,” Cr Hewitt said,

Hepburn Shire CEO Bradley Thomas said he was pleased to have an experienced team leading the first year of the new council term.

“Cr Don Henderson and Cr Lesley Hewitt bring experience and leadership to the roles and I look forward to working closely with them as we move forward with some key projects, including the development of an updated community vision and council plan,” Mr Thomas said.

“I would like to acknowledge Cr Brian Hood for his work and dedication as mayor over the last two years of the previous council term.”