Major planning shake-up as portfolio scrapped

All councillors will be expected to take on a greater role with developments as part of major changes to council portfolios.

Sustained opposition to the Sekisui House development proposal for Yaroomba would come to a head next month in the Maroochydore Planning and Environment Court.

ALL councillors will be expected to take on a greater role with developments in their own backyards as part of major changes to council portfolios.

The planning portfolio of last term now sits in part under the remit of Service Excellence portfolio holders Cr Christian Dickson and Cr Winston Johnston.

But in a significant change, strategic planning has been pulled out of the portfolio and was now the responsibility of all councillors, while there was no designated planning portfolio like last term.

The new portfolios were ratified in Thursday's live-streamed ordinary council meeting.

Cr Johnston said previously Cr Dickson had taken on a "great deal more responsibility" of development assessments, and he was pleased to see this council "shooting home" some of the responsibilities to individual councillors.

He said he was also pleased to see the review of the town plan would be the "responsibility of the entire council".

HINTERLAND: Winston Johnston is the new Division 5 councillor, he is returning to local government after 12 years focusing on his general insurance business. Photo: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

Cr Dickson said strategic planning "now belongs to the full council", after the planning scheme ranked as a top election issue, and he was eager for individual councillors to step up on planning matters in their own electorates.

The new council was set to oversee the creation of the next Sunshine Coast Planning Scheme.

Cr Dickson said he did not expect to be agreeing with council officer recommendations "at every twist and turn" and said his preference would be for individual councillors to "step up" on major development applications in their electorates.

He said he felt there was an acceptance that councillors would fight for their communities and represent the wishes of their electorates.

Division 6 candidate Christian Dickson speaks at a Sunshine Coast Daily election forum in Buderim.

Cr Dickson said it placed more accountability on the whole council and "it puts everybody on notice".

He said several councillors had expressed a desire to take the lead on planning issues, and the new council was already discussing revisiting the planning scheme.

"People are saying they want real and genuine consultation," Cr Dickson said.

He said the new portfolio system enabled each councillor to be heavily involved in shaping the region, and those who campaigned hard on planning scheme issues a chance to have their say.

New councillors had been paired up with a more experienced, returning councillor, in the new portfolio system, which had reduced from 10 portfolios last term to six with the new council.

Community spirit remained strong at Yaroomba where residents and supporters awqait the outcome of their Planning and Environment Court appeal against Sunshine Coast Counci's approval of the Sekisui House residential and hotel development.

COUNCILLOR PORTFOLIOS

Mayor Mark Jamieson: Region Shaping Projects, Regional Advocacy and Intergovernmental Relations

Cr Rick Baberowski and Cr David Law: Community

Cr Peter Cox and Cr Maria Suarez: Environment and Liveability

Cr Terry Landsberg and Cr Jason O'Pray: Economy

Cr Christian Dickson and Cr Winston Johnston: Service Excellence

Cr Ted Hungerford and Cr Joe Natoli: Outstanding Organisation.

Cr Hungerford and Cr Natoli were also approved as members of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council Audit Committee.

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