With the summer holiday season upon us, Central Coast Council is reminding residents to dispose of their litter in bins provided or take it with them to avoid hefty on the spot fines.Council Director, Environment and Planning, Scott Cox, said that a team of Council Rangers have been deployed specifically to target littering hotspots to ensure everyone can enjoy a clean coastal environment this festive season.“Whilst Christmas is a time of good cheer, the incidence of littering increases during this time, and we want everyone do the right thing and dispose of their rubbish in the right place – the bin,” Mr Cox said.“The festive season means more parties, more family get-togethers, more food than you would usually eat … and, sadly, more waste dumped than at any other time of the year.“Certain areas of the Coast become litter hotspots this time of year and our Rangers will be highly active in these areas targeting litter from vehicles and individual littering offences which can attract on the spot fines of up to $250,” Mr Cox said.Areas being targeted include skate parks and busy reserves, beaches and surrounds, water fronts, town centres, fast food outlets and surrounds and major arterial road intersections.

Central Coast Council Offices and a number of services will close from Monday 24 December for the annual Christmas closure and reopen on Wednesday 2 January 2019. This includes Gosford and Wyong Offices, works depots and libraries, with the exception of Gwandalan Library Link and Mooney Mooney Community Library which will reopen on Monday 14 January and Tuesday 29 January, respectively. Essential services will continue throughout the closure period including residential waste collection, water treatment and lifeguards will patrol beaches.

Central Coast Council has welcomed the sight of the resident Eastern osprey pairs nesting across the Central Coast again this year.Five breeding pairs have made the Coast their home this year, with at least two welcoming chicks in the past few months.Council’s Environmental Education officer, Nick Carson said three of the osprey pairs were nesting on Council facilities.“We have had a pair of Ospreys nesting on a purpose built platform at Council’s Erina works depot since 2012 and have since had others nesting at Central Coast Stadium and the Kincumber Sewage Treatment Plant,” Mr Carson said.“We have had reports of two other pairs making the Coast their home, one at Woy Woy and the other at The Entrance.“In the past couple of weeks we have seen the fledglings of the pairs at the Erina Depot and Central Coast Stadium emerge from the nest and start to learn to fly, it’s a great sight to see.”Eastern ospreys, Pandion cristatus, are listed as a vulnerable species in NSW, meaning they face the risk of extinction in the medium-term future.Mr Carson said community members wishing to see the eastern osprey should keep an eye out around our waterways where they like to hunt for fish.“The eastern ospreys look similar to the White bellied sea eagles found here on the Coast, but are smaller in size,” Mr Carson said.“They also have a different mode of catching their prey, preferring to plunge dive for fish, rather than swooping in and grabbing with their talons. “Another key feature of the osprey is the way they carry fish they have caught, preferring to make sure the head of the fish is facing forward during flight to improve aerodynamics. “The waterways here on the Central Coast are home to some pretty special animals, the Eastern osprey being one of them.”We can all play our part in looking after our ospreys by keeping the Central Coast’s waterways healthy.

Central Coast Stadium will proudly host the Star 104.5 Central Coast Carols on Friday 21 December with 100 per cent of all ticket proceeds donated to Cancer Council NSW to support services and facilities right here on the coast.

Central Coast Council has been awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award recognising how both Council and the local community embraced the nationwide reuse program Garage Sale Trail this year.Central Coast Council was one of only 14 councils to receive an award for their involvement in the annual campaign held over the weekend of 20 and 21 October 2018.“This award is the result of a committed and passionate approach to the project by the Council staff involved," commented Co-Founder of Garage Sale Trail, Darryl Nichols.“Through its involvement and promotion of the program, Central Coast Council demonstrated great leadership in sustainability and reuse and ultimately helped make this year's Garage Sale Trail such a success, both locally and nationally.”With 301 sales and stalls registered, Central Coast placed in the top 10 of the 150 Councils that took part across Australia.Mayor Jane Smith said it was great to see Council support this worthwhile national event, which supports Council’s Community Strategic Plan by improving environmental behaviours and increasing community connections.“Our community are certainly committed to, and embrace reusing and recycling and I want to thank and congratulate them for making this year’s event such a huge success,” Mayor Smith said.“The recently issued results have recorded more than 17,000 items sold across our region, with the average sale netting almost $300.“$10,000 of this went directly to local charities, which will have more positive flow on effects to our community which is great to see.“This year’s report has shown there were over 10,000 interactions as a result of the Garage Sale Trail, helping residents get to know their neighbours and feel more connected to their community.“Importantly every garage sale on the Trail saw 516kgs of items reused and saved from landfill which is real benefit for our local environment.“With 35 per cent of the event sellers admitting that without this event the items sold would have otherwise been thrown out, it has also helped us work towards our target of 45 per cent of domestic waste being diverted from our landfill sites.“The average Australian creates over two tonnes of waste every year so it is great to know 88 per cent of local sellers are now more conscious about waste and understand their role in reducing it.“We can all play a role in helping to minimise our waste and this amazing sustainable event brings attention to the positive impact reusing unwanted items has on our environment - a welcome reminder with Christmas only a week away.”Visit garagesaletrail.com.au for more information on the best ways make money selling pre-loved stuff online and how to responsibly donate clothes to charity. ENDS

A diverse mix of young people have been appointed as members of Y4Y (Youth for Youth), the Coast’s first regional youth action team.

As part of its aim to deliver $2.08million worth of upgrades to Central Coast Council’s leisure centres this financial year, $476k worth of upgrades are now complete.These works include $110,000 worth of solar pool heating installed at Peninsula Leisure Centre and Toukley Aquatic Centre, and $66,000 worth of ventilation improvements at Peninsula Leisure Centre and Lake Haven Recreation Centre – where large fans have been installed in the sports halls.Additionally, $200,000 worth of brand new, cardio gym equipment has been delivered and installed at Lake Haven Recreation Centre, with an additional $100,000 spent on upgrading the surrounding infrastructure to support this new equipment – including flooring, power and internet to allow the users to live stream entertainment on the cardio equipment while they exercise.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said that Council is committed to providing outstanding leisure facilities.“Our aim is to ensure sport, leisure, recreation and aquatic facilities are high-quality open spaces that are well maintained and activated,” Ms Vaughan said.“With the goal to continually improve the physical and social wellbeing of the Central Coast community, investing $2.08million over the next year across our six leisure centres will further provide residents and visitors of the Coast with terrific facilities and classes.”Work still to commence this financial year includes an upgrade to the outdoor seating and grandstand area at Wyong Olympic Pool and a $1.29million upgrade to the Lake Haven Recreation Centre building.

Memorial Park at The Entrance is the place to be this New Year’s Eve with free activities, an array of food trucks and a spectacular fireworks display over the water.Award winning Australian band, Pseudo Echo, will also headline the program with a special performance live on stage for the community to enjoy.Central Coast Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard, invited locals and visitors to celebrate the last sunset of 2018 with family and friends along the waterfront.“It is hard to believe that 2018 is coming to an end but we are delighted to host this special event and bring our community together to celebrate our achievements over the past year,” Mr Cannard said.“Memorial Park will be buzzing with a variety of entertainment, free craft activities, live music and a ‘Food Alley’ featuring an array of food choices.

Central Coast Council has announced the winners of their Library Service’s first Poetry Writing Competition.The competition is one of the many ways Council is delivering on the Community Strategic Plan by celebrating and continuing to create opportunities for inclusion where all people feel welcome and participate in community life.Council Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess said she was pleased with the positive response from the community and it was fantastic to see all ages getting involved.“I would like to thank everyone who was brave enough to submit an entry and tell their tale in verse,” Mrs Burgess said.“I hope the competition acts as a springboard for our local talent to go on and gain recognition at a national and possibly internationally levels.“Thank you also to our judges, Meg Gatland-Veness, Cherry Beckett and Marilyn Campbell, who have volunteered their time towards this worthwhile cause, helping to strengthen the sense of belonging in the community.“I am incredibly proud of the role we play in nurturing and inspiring our amazing local talent, while helping to create a sense of connection within the community.“This is just one of the many ways our libraries help meet education, learning and recreation needs, while encouraging development of literacy and reading skills.“I would encourage everyone to rediscover their local library and take advantage of the amazing free resources and services available.”Winner of the open category, Shelley Stocken from the Peninsula, who discovered her love of poetry while at school, was thrilled when she received the call saying she had received first place.“Even though I studied poetry at university I have never considered myself a poet,” Ms Stocken said.“I have entered a few competitions in the past, but this is the first time I have ever placed, let alone won – I’m surprised, but also incredibly proud of this achievement.“My poem was a self-reflection of sorts, contemplating the theme of ‘Peace’ on an individual level rather than a collective or worldwide concept.“I really enjoyed the process of writing my piece ‘Vessel’, contemplating peace of mind and being comfortable within myself and of my own choices and I hope others can relate.“We have such home grown talent right here on the Coast and we are great at celebrating ourselves – it is fantastic to see Council taking an active role supporting our creative community.”To support writers in their poetry, Council will gift prizes of $200, $100 and $50 gift cards to first, second and third places respectively for every category, as well as a writing gift pack, which will also be awarded to Highly Commended entries at a formal celebratory afternoon tea will be held on Wednesday 20 March 2019.An additional $600 worth of prizes was donated thanks to the 2018 sponsors of the Poetry Competition, Book Bazaar, Book Face, Musicians Making a Difference, QBD Tuggerah and Writing NSW.Winning entries will also be on display in the Central Coast community on World Poetry Day 21 March, 2019.To view the winning poems and find out more about the free resources and services on offer visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/librariesThe winners of the Library Service Poetry Writing Competition for 2018 are:Junior:First place - Finlay Smith for ‘Lady Ocean’Second place - Ellen Leahy for ‘Matcham “Peace’Third place - Cooper Jamieson for ‘Peace’Highly commended - May Russell for ‘The Peace of Winter’Youth:First place - Caitlyn Dixon for ‘How I wish’Second place - Willow Robinson for ‘Music to my Ears’Third place - Indiana Ginglo for ‘Indiana’s Peace Poem’Highly commended - Isabel Wann for ‘Evening’Adult:First place - Shelley Stocken for ‘Vessel’Second place - Catherine Dunk for ‘Rainbow Buddha’Third place - Gail Beard for ‘Nightwatch’Highly commended - Brian Purcell for ‘Full Moon over Avoca Beach’

Central Coast Council will commence further safety improvement works at Willoughby Road, Wamberal in January 2019. Works include the installation of traffic calming devices at two intersections either side of the causeway (dip), a section of kerb and gutter, and footpath and bus stop upgrades.

Council finances on track and delivering for the communityCouncil adopted the audited financial statements for the 2017-18 Central Coast Council consolidated financial statements.The reports and financial statements for 2017-18 confirm a total income from continuing operations of $651.2million, a surplus including capital income of $66.2million and an asset base worth $7.0billion.Mayor Jane Smith said it is important for Council to demonstrate sound financial management for the community and provide accountability and transparency in reporting.“We’re here to deliver the best possible services to our growing community, and having thorough financial management is essential,” Mayor Smith said.Council accounts are governed by a strict Local Government Code of Accounting Practice and Financial Reporting, and by legally binding Accounting Standards.Community events and projects receive $823,000 boostSixty-nine projects will share more than $823,000 in funding to hold community events and programs after Central Coast Council last night voted to allocate funds from its annual Sponsorship and Grants Program.See separate media release.Winney Bay Clifftop Walk to proceed with amended designCouncil has considered the feedback from the community and recommended changes to Stage 2 of the Winney Bay Clifftop walk.The results of the community consultation showed the majority of our community supported the walk with some modifications to the concept design.Council will now proceed to detailed design with the path width reduced to a maximum of 2 metres and without the bridge and market stall spaces.Mayor Smith said the next stage of the project is a detailed design and that the removal of the market stalls and bridge could be accommodated into this phase of the project.“We understand that there has been some community concern on this issue, however the results of the consultation show support for the formalised walk with some modifications,” Mayor Smith said.“Council has decided to remove the market stalls and bridge from the design.“We have also asked that the design reduce the path width to a maximum of 2m and to include a fully accessible viewing platform in the area where the bridge would have started.“The remainder of the path past this section will be built from materials sympathetic to the natural environment.“We are also ensuring the environment will be protected, with a Review of Environmental Factors to be undertaken, removal of native species to be minimised and local native species to be propagated and used for revegetation.“The result will be a walkway that respects the local environment while allowing walkers access to the beautiful scenery of Winney Bay.”Making our towns the centre of attentionCouncil has moved to adopt recommendations that will see a strategic and regional approach to town centre management on the Central Coast.The new approach will provide a regional model that will give the best value for the community and ensure services, infrastructure, events and activations are delivered effectively whilst also addressing local place based issues.Mayor Jane Smith said Council resolved to undertake this review last year and the review has been shaped by relevant internal business units and external stakeholders.“Our town centres are important, vibrant spaces that help attract more people to the Central Coast, drive business and economic development and create new experiences for visitors and residents to enjoy,” Mayor Smith said.“This review identifies town centres as key places that not only serve their localised residential community, but also play a pivotal role in the wider region.“It highlights ways we can continue to invest in improving our town centres to ensure we remain a vibrant, sustainable, growing and competitive region and we will continue working closely with businesses and the community to develop a model that will achieve both localised and regional objectives.”Council will continue to work with local business stakeholders including business chambers, Gosford Business Improvement District organisation, Greater Toukley Vision, Wyong Business Chamber and the NSW Business Chamber to develop a regional approach to specifically support local economic and business development initiatives.

Sixty-nine projects will share more than $823,000 in funding to hold community events and programs after Central Coast Council last night voted to allocate funds from its annual Sponsorship and Grants Program.Basketball, bowls and surfing competitions, along with equine and comedy festivals are just some of the programs which will receive a total of $142,000 through the sponsorship budget, which supports activities which bring economic benefits to the region.Meanwhile, Council approved a diverse range of applications submitted through the following grant programs:Community Events and Place Activation ($158,697.23)Community Development ($187,959.70)Community Infrastructure ($107,367)Social and Creative Enterprise ($114,675.58)Heritage ($102,779.65)Community Support ($15,000).Council budgeted $1.78million for its 2018-19 Sponsorship and Grant Program.

The Central Coast community can enjoy a powerful new exhibition over the Summer holidays thanks to Central Coast Council’s Gosford Regional Gallery.‘Express Yourself’ is drawn from the National Portrait Gallery’s contemporary collection and it is the first time these portraits have toured the country together.Council Team Leader Art Galleries, Arts and Culture, Tim Braham said he was honoured to have secured such a prestigious National exhibition, free for our community to enjoy.“Express Yourself celebrates portraits of Australians whose unique life experiences symbolise social and cultural themes,” Mr Braham said.“The individuals displayed in the exhibition come from a variety of professions and each subjects’ strength of conviction and uncompromising individuality has lead them to excel in their chosen field, and contribute meaningful change to the social and cultural environment in Australia.“Portraits of Marcia Langton, Jack Charles, Jeff Fenech, Alex Wodak, Carol Ruff, Jim Conway and Gary Foley are among more than thirty photographs, drawings and digital works on display including a newly acquired work, the commissioned portrait of campaigner Rosie Batty by photographer Nikki Toole.“Art plays an important role in our lives, in telling our story and in bringing people together.

Central Coast Council will install a new water main on The Round Drive, Avoca Beach from 3 January 2019.Council Director Water and Sewer, Bileen Nel said the project would minimise the risk of future water main breaks.“We apologise for the inconvenience caused by water main breaks on The Round Drive and would like to assure residents that Council is addressing this matter.“1600 metres of new water main will be installed, adding to the 575 metres of new pipework recently installed.“The new main will be constructed in the roadway, which will preserve trees and minimise water supply disruptions to customers during construction.“The new location selected also means unexpected releases of water will be directed away from properties, which will significantly reduce the risk of damage to property.“We will also be able to keep the existing water main in operation during works, which will mean there will be minimal disruption to water supply for residents.Council will complete the project in approximately six months and will provide residents with advance notice of construction activities.The start date for this project has been rescheduled from October 2018 to January 2019 in order to finalise a design and source materials that will deliver the best outcome for The Round Drive.Ms Nel said Council began rolling out a region-wide water mains renewal program in July.“We have prioritised our renewal program based on areas that have experienced higher numbers of water main breaks in recent times.“Traffic control will be in place throughout the works to direct road users and ensure their safety.”Water main breaks will periodically occur across all water systems and are typically caused by ground and weather conditions, tree roots and third party damage. Central Coast residents who experience water or sewerage concerns in their area should call Council immediately on 1300 463 954.

Central Coast Council is encouraging the Coast community to get active this summer by offering a free day pass to every Central Coast resident, 18-years or older, to its six leisure centres from December 2018 through to March 2019.Anyone who uses their free pass will also go in the draw to win one of five annual memberships to a Council leisure centre of their choice, valued at up to $1,092.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said that this great initiative is being implemented this summer to help promote healthy living.

Central Coast Council Library Service has won the annual NSW Public Libraries Association Multicultural Excellence Award, presented to staff at the annual SWITCH conference last week.Council’s Library Service took out the award for their demonstrated excellence in services and programs that add meaningful value to the Central Coast’s culturally and linguistically diverse community.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said staff feel incredibly privileged to be able to create spaces that provide connection, inclusion and support for the community.“I am so proud of the work my team achieves and it is fantastic to see them publicly acknowledged for their efforts,” Ms Vaughan said.“As part of the award we have received $1000, which will go towards building more equitable, affordable and flexible multicultural lifelong learning initiatives.“A special thank you to all the volunteers and external agencies that have provided time and support, without whom these programs would not be possible.”Providing multicultural learning opportunities is one of the many ways libraries help create spaces where all people feel welcome and can participate in community life, Ms Vaughan said.“With more than 14 per cent of the population born overseas, we have developed numerous programs for our increasingly diverse community,” Ms Vaughan added.“Our English as a Second Language (ESL) program has been running at Gosford Library since 2015, using conversation based learning to increase participants’ confidence in everyday situations we take for granted, such as going to the doctor or travelling by public transport.“Members are very grateful for the learning outcomes, as well as the friendships and support networks they have established, without which they would have been more isolated.“Our Read Around the World Storytime sessions at Erina, have been popular with young families as a way to celebrate our culturally diverse community through stories, songs and craft.“These sessions are beneficial for the whole community, helping provide children with greater cultural awareness from an early age, while also offering a safe space for families from similar multicultural backgrounds to connect.“Due to their success, we are looking at expanding the ESL Meet and Greet and Read Around the World Storytime programs in 2019 and would encourage those interested to get in contact with their local branch.”The Library Service offers a ‘Reading Hotspot’ collection that includes beginner reading books and literacy workbooks to assist those developing their English skills at home.Library members can also take advantage of the ‘Box of books’ service, where books in 42 different languages can be borrowed from NSW State Library collections – up to 20 items can be borrowed at once and can include fiction, non-fiction, children’s, bilingual, large print or audiobooks.Visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/libraries for details on these multicultural programs and services.

Residents are running out of time to comment on a ground-breaking draft Strategy which addresses the Coast’s housing affordability crisis. Central Coast Council’s draft Affordable and Alternative Housing Strategy has been on public exhibition since early September and closes for community comment on Friday, 21 December.

Council is currently consolidating its planning controls for the Central Coast to deliver significant efficiencies and simplify planning for the whole community and is calling for public input.The Central Coast is currently operating under four different planning instruments each with different planning controls.

Central Coast Council is successfully reducing its carbon footprint by generating electricity through the extraction and combustion of landfill gas at its waste management facilities.This advanced approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from escaping into the atmosphere produced enough renewable energy to power more than 4500 local homes last financial year.Council Unit Manager Waste Services and Business Development, Andrew Pearce said there were four electricity generation plants operated under contract helping turn methane emissions into renewable energy.“Landfill gas is a natural consequence of organic waste decomposing at any solid waste management site,” Mr Pearce said.“Half the gas generated is carbon dioxide with the other half methane, which is around 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere.“The generators at our waste management facilities produced approximately 28,000 megawatt-hours of electricity last financial year, and prevented around 154,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (greenhouse emissions) from escaping into the atmosphere.”Mayor Jane Smith said the gas extraction was an excellent example of Council implementing real actions to reduce climate change.“I am proud to see Council’s commitment to more sustainable waste practices by turning waste to renewable energy,” Mayor Smith.“With methane a major contributing factor to global warming, this venture will continue to provide a major contribution to reducing Council’s carbon footprint.“It is important Council takes a leading role in helping to mitigate the effects of climate change and this is just the start of more innovative initiatives we will implement.”Council endorsed a Draft Climate Change Policy in August 2018, a framework of key actions to contribute to meeting the Green theme of the Community Strategic Plan and NSW State Climate Change Policy direction to achieve a net-zero emissions by 2050.“We need real actions and I am looking forward to seeing how the community respond to and engage with this Policy as we work together to find the best way to tackle the effects of climate change and make positive change here on the Coast, “ Mayor Smith said.“As part of the consultation we want to hear what concerns our community have about climate change so we can address them together.“I strongly encourage residents to complete our online survey on climate change before it closes on Friday 7 December, and register interest in our upcoming series of workshops to be held early next year.”Visit yourvoiceourcoast.com/climatechange to complete the short online survey, register for future workshops, and sign up to stay informed.

Central Coast Council Mayor Jane Smith has welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a northern high speed rail route which could reduce travel times between Sydney and the Central Coast to around 30 mins.Mayor Jane Smith said this would make a significant difference to thousands of Central Coast residents who commute to Sydney every day often spending up to four hours a day on a return train journey between the coast and their destination.“We know commuting is a major issue for our community with many Coasties having to travel off the coast every day for work or study,” Mayor Smith said.“Reducing the commute to Sydney from around 90 minutes to 30 minutes would allow the community to have an additional two hours per day or as much as ten hours per week for other activities at home or in their community, like spending time with their family, rather than sitting on a train,” Mayor Smith said.“This could also have a flow on effect of encouraging those who drive to Sydney each day to leave their cars at home and hop on a train, which would also reduce traffic on our major roads and deliver benefits to the environment.“The devil will be in the detail too in terms of where the route will go, costings and car parking for commuters.”“The State Government will need to prioritise and significantly increase investment in commuter parking stations along multiple stations on northern rail route so that commuters can have a choice of where they can park to access the fast train service.“Major investment in infrastructure, such as this proposal by the State Government, has the potential to bring jobs and drive economic development on the coast and this is something Council is committed to delivering for our community.Council is currently consulting with the community on parking on the Central Coast.