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Terms of Reference

Purpose

  1. To act in an advisory role to the Narrabeen Lagoon State Park Trust (NLSPT) for prioritising and informing strategic initiatives.
  2. To facilitate and enable communication between the NLSPT, the community and stakeholders with an interest in Narrabeen Lagoon State Park.
  3. To advise on annual priorities in Council’s Delivery Program.
  4. To act as a reference group on strategic matters impacting on the State Park including:
    - The ecological health of the Lagoon and its catchment
    - Land management
    - Sustainable recreation and business use of the Park
    - Strategic land use planning
    - Land tenure
    - Entrance management and floodplain management
  5. To assist in development of a Plan of Management for Narrabeen Lagoon State Park.
  6. To assist in resolving conflicts between different types of community uses of the State Park.

Outcomes

  1. The Committee is recognised by communities and stakeholders as a means whereby their views can be discussed and inputs considered into the planning, management and development of Narrabeen Lagoon State Park.
  2. The NLSPT receives advice from the Committee, as requested, on management proposals and/or other issues of interest to the NLSPT.
  3. The NLSPT remains informed of important community and stakeholder issues of interest.
  4. The Crown Land Manager will manage the State Park using the following principles:
    - Establish water quality outcomes suitable for protection of the natural environment and for public recreation
    - Maintain and enhance the natural environment, accepting the principles of ecosystem-based total catchment management
    - Promote and enhance the unique environmental, cultural heritage and recreational values of the State Park

Accountability

  1. The Committee is responsible to the NLSPT in regard to all its activities.
  2. The Committee is advisory only. It has no decision making authority, cannot commit the NLSPT to expenditure, and will instead consider all matters referred to it by the NLSPT directly, or in accordance with these Terms of Reference.
  3. The Committee and its individual members are not to engage in any media activities or purport to speak for, or on behalf of NLSPT, or the Advisory Committee, without prior written consent of the NLSPT.
  4. Members of the Committee agree to be bound in their membership by these terms of reference and all relevant corporate policies and requirements of the NLSPT Manager.
  5. Members of the Committee agree to declare any potential or actual conflicts of interest, and at all times agree to act in the best interests of the Committee, the community of New South Wales and the NLSPT.
  6. Community members of the Committee should aim to reflect the broad perspectives of the New South Wales community, and bring to the Committee knowledge of the opinions and concerns of the community and/or stakeholder groups, that might genuinely impact Narrabeen Lagoon State Park.

Membership

  1. There will be up to ten Committee members, representing a range of community and stakeholder groups who wish to contribute to the Narrabeen Lagoon State Park.  
  2. The Chair will be appointed by agreement between Department of Industry – Lands and the Crown Land Manager. If the Chair is unable to attend the role will be delegated to the Crown Land Manager’s representative.
  3. Up to four community members shall be appointed to the Committee by the Crown Land Manager providing they have knowledge (and preferably, experience) of the Narrabeen Lagoon State Park:
    - One environment representative
    - One recreational representative
    - One  business representative
    - One ratepayer / community representative
  4. Three members shall be appointed to the Committee as representatives of the main land owner groups in the catchment:
    - One from Northern Beaches Council (Trust Manager)
    - One from NSW Crown Lands (Land Owners)
    - One from Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council (MLALC).
  5. Two members shall be appointed to the Committee representing the State agencies with expert technical and policy information regarding the overall management of the Lagoon environment:
    - One from NSW Department of Primary Industries (Fisheries)
    - One from NSW Office of Environment and Heritage.
  6. The members of the Committee will be formally appointed by agreement between NSW Crown Lands and the Crown Land Manager.
  7. The Crown Land Manager will provide secretarial support for the administration of the Committee.
  8. Community member appointments will be for a four year period. Community members will be eligible for reappointment with a maximum of two terms / eight years.
  9. Members of the Committee are not paid.
  10. Members cannot claim reimbursement from NLSPT for the cost of attending Committee meetings.
  11. A member may at any time resign from his or her office by giving four weeks’ notice in writing.

Proceedings

  1. The Committee will meet at regular intervals, at least two times a year.
  2. A quorum is constituted if at least half the total number of members is present, including a Crown Land Manager representative and the Chair (or delegate).
  3. The NLSPT will determine the agenda and matters for consideration by the Committee (incorporating relevant suggested items from Committee members as appropriate).
  4. The Chair and Secretary of the Committee will prepare an agenda for each meeting.
  5. Meetings will be minuted and will contain all recommendations of the Committee.
  6. Committee recommendations will be reached by consensus wherever possible.
  7. In the event that a matter needs to be voted upon, each member, including the chair of the Committee, will have an equal vote.
  8. In the event of a tied vote, the motion will be deemed to be lost.
  9. All Committee recommendations are to the Crown Land Manager who will consider the recommendations in accordance with its own governance arrangements. The Committee has no decision making authority.
  10. A copy of the draft minutes will be provided to the NLSPT within 14 days from the meeting.
  11. The Chair of the Committee will be invited to attend in person when the Crown Land Manager is considering Committee reports should they wish to provide further information.
  12. All members of the Committee will be bound by Council’s values and the Office of Local Government’s Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils in NSW  (2020).  Members considered to be acting contrary to the Model Code of Conduct , Council’s values or these Terms of Reference may have their membership revoked by the Crown Land Manager.