The Inner West Record

Inner West Council has voted to expand public consultation on its affordable housing policy, adding direct outreach to unions representing nurses, aged care workers, teachers, transport workers and public servants. The amendment also locks in a minimum 28 day exhibition period and roundtables with housing peak bodies.

The amendment sets out item two of the exhibition plan to ensure the council consults broadly and meaningfully, including workshops with local democracy groups, roundtables with housing peak bodies and direct engagement with community housing providers. Clause J, which the mover highlighted, covers direct outreach to unions representing key and essential workers and the creative community.

The meeting also heard questions about car stackers in parking arrangements. A speaker described them as a device where cars are stacked and returned to the driver by electronic means, and said they are not fully reliable, citing basements where stackers have broken down and cars have fallen off, requiring expensive dismantling to return them to working order. They said the council does not encourage or rely on them.

No recorded vote results were provided for this item in the payload. The excerpt shows the chair moving to a vote after the right of reply, where Councillor D’Arienzo acknowledged Rory, the new Inner West city architect, and welcomed him to his first council meeting.

The council then moved into closed session on item two, with Councillor Howard moving and Councillor Blake seconding. Members of the public were asked to leave the gallery.

After returning from closed session, the council noted it had resolved one confidential item, the Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre project update, and that the decision would be reflected in the minutes.