Winney Bay Clifftop Walk to manage safety constraints

Central Coast Council has tonight confirmed the design of Stage 2 of the Winney Bay Clifftop Walk will have flexibility in the design to allow geotechnical constraints and public safety to be managed.

Council also confirmed the materials used in the design may include limited use of concrete, and materials such as fibreglass and composites as utilised in the successful Chertsey Boardwalk project. These materials will only be used when they support development of a design has minimal environmental impact.

Council and the community will have an opportunity to further consider the concepts once developed prior to proceeding to further detailed designs.

Council on target to meet increased housing demands

Central Coast Council has announced that it is currently on target to meet annual housing objectives, following a report highlighting the number of development applications processed during January to March.

Mayor Jane Smith said Council was tracking well against the housing requirements outlined in the Central Coast Regional Plan (2016) for an additional 41,500 homes by 2035.

“Council is committed to assessing development applications that meet the growing demand for housing in our region,” said Mayor Smith.

“Over the January to March 2019 Quarter, Council received 718 development applications of which 678 were approved, which assisted in the creation of 109 additional residential lots and 516 dwellings.

Since 2016, Council has approved 8,807 additional dwellings.

Council to report State of the Environment

Central Coast Council staff will provide reports back to Councillors on two key environmental issues after a report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES) that highlighted the current rate of species extinction and the need for action at the local level.

Council staff will report back on the progress towards the expansion of the Coastal Open Space System (COSS) into the former Wyong Shire Council local government area as well as the process required to produce its first State of the Environment Report in 2020.

Mayor Jane Smith said the UN report highlighted the need for Council to look at biodiversity across the region.

“It’s alarming to read the statistics on species loss in the UN report - one million of the world’s species are now under threat of extinction,” said Mayor Smith.

“Locally, the Hunter and Central Coast Regional Management Strategy identifies more than 150 endangered species now in the Hunter and Central Coast.

“It’s time for us as a Council to understand what’s happening in our backyard and plan for the future.

“We should be working to protect biodiversity so that plants and animals don’t reach the point where they are at risk.”

Council’s financial position and projects on-track

Council received the Q3 Business Report that forecasts its financial position at 30 June 2019 will be satisfactory and that 2018-19 Delivery Program and Operational Plan projects are tracking well – 18 projects completed, 123 on track, 10 delayed and six on hold.

Council’s quarter three operating result excluding capital income (grants and contributions) is a $56.9million surplus compared to a budgeted surplus of $42.0million, a favourable variance of $14.9million. Council had $494.2million in cash and investments as at 31 March 2019.

Due to project savings, delivery of projects in stages, availability of external consultants or contractors, and project reductions or delays, Council resolved to decrease the capital expenditure program by $23.2million, resulting in a forecasted full year capex program of $192.3million.

Council supports leadership for women

Central Coast Council confirmed its support, and congratulated Councillor Lisa Matthews on her election as an Executive Member of the Local Government Women’s Association NSW Branch.

The Association encourages women into professional careers in local government, advises intending women candidates for local government elections, and provides other assistance to further women’s knowledge about local government.

Councillor Matthews is also the Chair of Council’s Status of Women Advisory Group which has taken a leadership role in the community through its members to advocate and raise awareness of issues that affect women on the Central Coast and promote local networks that celebrate women in our community.

Council moves to approve IPART determination but remains Water Wise

Central Coast Council has resolved to approve the water, sewerage and stormwater drainage fees and charges as determined by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART’s) on 24 May 2019.

IPART is responsible for determining the maximum water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices for major water utilities in NSW and its determination proposes a reduction in average residential water bills across the Central Coast Local Government Area (LGA), aligning the prices originally determined by IPART in 2013 for the former Wyong and Gosford LGA’s.

From 1 July, the annual water bill for a typical household in the former Gosford LGA would fall by about $330 in 2019-20 and a typical bill for a household in the former Wyong LGA would fall by $150 per year, depending on water usage levels.

Council and the Central Coast community contributed to the final determination through a detailed submission that included community sentiment from a survey, public hearing and direct feedback in writing to IPART.

Mayor Jane Smith said that while the final determination for water, sewerage and stormwater drainage prices is made by IPART, Council remained committed to moving forward as ‘One Central Coast’.

“Council and IPART certainly agree that residential customers should receive a reduction in their water bill from 1 July. We made this clear in our formal responses to IPART and our community should not be concerned that a reduction in their water bill will mean an increase in other fees and charges,” Mayor Smith said.

“While we are all excited by lower water bills, we must remember that like most of NSW, the Central Coast is affected by drought and as a result, the amount of water stored in our dams is decreasing.

“Few people who lived on the Central Coast between 2002 and 2012 will have forgotten how severe the Central Coast’s water crisis became during the ‘Millennium Drought’, and while Council has taken measures to improve the security of our water supply including recently approving changes to its current water restriction trigger guidelines, we remind the community to continue being Water Wise.”

Council’s proposed fees and charges (including the water, sewerage and stormwater drainage charges) for 2019-20 is included in the draft 2019-20 Operational Plan.  The final Plan will address any reduction in income as a result of IPART’s determination to ensure the Central Coast community continues to benefit from the efficient delivery of its essential services.

Council adopts amended Central Coast Open Pile Burning Policy

Central Coast Council has adopted its amended Central Coast Open Pile Burning Policy after consultation with the NSW Rural Fire Service, NSW Fire Brigade and coast community.

The Policy will allow landowners of large properties generating large volumes of dead and dry vegetation material, that was generated on the premise on which the vegetation grew within prescribed zones, to open pile burn in accordance with the Protection of the Environment (Clean Air) Regulation 2010.

Council made a number of amendments to the initial policy including a community education program in collaboration with NSW Rural Fire Service and the inclusion of environmental zones based upon their land management needs.

Landholders are reminded that they need to comply with the policy and appropriate notice periods as outlined in the final policy.

Council will seek to replace former Gosford and Wyong Councils as the approval authority for the burning of dead and dry vegetation under the Clean Air Regulation (2010) before the policy is implemented.