Council aligns housing controls to encourage development in northern growth areas Council has amended the Wyong Development Control Plan (DCP) to include Warnervale Town Centre DCP and align housing controls in key growth areas in the north of the Coast.A review was undertaken of the site specific development controls that applied to dwellings in Gwandalan, Warnervale Town Centre and Hamlyn Terrace to ascertain the best planning controls to use.The review found the Housing Code and Dwelling Houses and Ancillary Structures already in the DCP provided all the controls needed and would be used as the benchmark going forward.Administrator Reynolds said:

Central Coast Council has welcomed Federal Labor’s promise to deliver a Commonwealth Institute of Higher Education in Gosford if elected.Labor has promised to work with council, the University of Newcastle and Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council to deliver a 800 student place campus with a funding injection of  $30 million.Administrator Ian Reynolds said with the region’s predicted population of 415,000 residents by 2031, more educational and employment opportunities were definitely needed for the Coast.“This Federal Election has certainly shone a spotlight on the challenges facing our great region and presented a number of alternatives to address them,” Mr Reynolds said.“We need to invest in the future of our region.

Central Coast Council met with representatives from Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council today to discuss the Land Council’s projects on the Central Coast.The meeting comes on the eve of NAIDOC Week and recognises the importance of the Land Council to the future of the Central Coast.Council’s Administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, said he welcomed the opportunity to meet with such a key landholder on the Coast so early in the life of the new council.“Darkinjung have a number of projects in the pipeline in support of Indigenous people on the Central Coast,” Mr Reynolds said.“The projects are also aimed at supporting the need in our community for housing and other facilities to meet the needs of our growing population.“I look forward to working with them in a cooperative manner as they progress their planning program.”Darkinjung’s, Chairperson Ms Tina West and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Sean Gordon, said as the largest private land owner in the region the relationship between Darkinjung and the newly formed Central Coast Council is significant in terms future planning and development for the Aboriginal community socially, culturally and economically.

As part of Central Coast Council’s Little Coast Kids commitment to provide dedicated childcare educators, three new trainees started work earlier this month.The trainees were selected through an innovative recruitment process in partnership with Training Services NSW and TAFE Ourimbah, delivering career opportunities for the local community.Council’s Section Manager Care and Education, Mrs Beth Burgess, said the selection of trainees helps ensure the provision of the best childcare possible.“Ten candidates went through four weeks of training provided by TAFE, which also included eight days of work experience at one of Council’s four Little Coast Kids Centres,” Mrs Burgess said.“This process allows us to get an idea of each applicant’s level of commitment and see how well they interact with the children and other staff.“Rather than selecting trainees solely through an interview process this method assists us to select the most suited and enthusiastic applicants for the positions allowing us to continue to provide superior care within the industry.”Council’s Organisational Development Partner, Mrs Linda Sutton, said the successful partnership between Council, Training Services NSW and TAFE Ourimbah has helped deliver local job opportunities.“Thanks to funding received through Training NSW we have been able to create entry level positions to help our community get a leg up in the very competitive job market on the Central Coast,” Mrs Sutton said.“This process also improves job prospects for the unsuccessful candidates who went through the selection process as all candidates now possess a four week statement of attainment in the Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.“TAFE Ourimbah will now continue to provide high quality training to the successful candidates through the remainder of the Diploma.”The successful applicants, Amanda Bailey, Stephanie Fisher, Rebecca McGuire-Read, will be placed at either the Wyong or Kanwal Little Coast Kids Centres.