Terms of reference of Panel to review Kensington's boundaries
KENSINGTON BOUNDARY REVIEW

TERMS OF REFERENCE

The Panel is to conduct a review and recommend to the Minister for Local Government on whether exceptional circumstances exist to warrant an alteration of the boundary between the municipal districts of the City of Melbourne and the Moonee Valley City Council (‘the affected councils’) in:
a)    the suburb of Kensington; and
b)    that section of the suburb of North Melbourne which is currently contained within the municipal district of the Moonee Valley City Council.
(‘the areas’).

If the Panel recommends that such exceptional circumstances exist, it shall also recommend to the Minister the appropriate location of the new boundary between each municipal district.

In undertaking the review the Panel is to take into account the following:
a)    The additional objectives of the City of Melbourne as set out in Section 7 of the City of Melbourne Act 2001. ¹
b)    Communities of interest within and adjacent to the areas;
c)    The effective and efficient delivery of local government services to the areas including access by residents and businesses of the areas to the affected councils’ services and facilities;
d)    Administrative, financial and rating impacts on the affected councils resulting from any proposed boundary change, including transitional costs;
e)    Population and demographic trends, and physical and topographic factors;
f)    Any impacts of any proposed boundary change on areas adjacent to the areas;
g)    Any other relevant matters that may arise as a result of the review.

The Panel may also make recommendations to the Minister on any action which may need to be taken on any other matter which may result from the Panel’s enquiries.

The Panel is to provide the Minister a report on the review by 31 October 2007 or such later date as he may approve.

¹    Section 7 – City of Melbourne Act 2001

    7.    Additional objectives
(1)    The Council has the following objectives—
(a)    to ensure a proper balance within its community between economic, social, environmental and cultural considerations within the context of the City of Melbourne's unique capital city responsibilities;
(b)    to develop and implement strategic directions and policies for the City of Melbourne in collaboration with the Government of the State to ensure alignment with that Government's strategic directions and policies for the City of Melbourne as the capital city of the State of Victoria;
(c)    to co-ordinate with the State and Commonwealth Governments in the planning and delivery of services in the City of Melbourne in which those governments have an interest;
(d)    to work in conjunction with the Government of the State on projects which that Government or the Council determines are significant to Melbourne.
(2)    This section is to be construed as being in addition to and not in derogation from the local government charter under the Local Government Act 1989.