Central Coast Council is calling for community members who live with a disability, family members or carers of someone living with a disability and people who work in the disability sector to submit an Expression of Interest to join its Access and Inclusion Reference Group.The Reference Group assists Council in implementing its Disability Inclusion Action Plan which sets out the actions Council will deliver to enable people with disabilities to better access mainstream services, facilities, information and support to be fully included and able to participate in community life. Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said this Reference Group will have an additional role.“The current Action Plan is in its final year, so the Reference Group will have the important task of helping us develop our new Disability Inclusion Action Plan which will help shape access and inclusion in our community from 2021-2025,” Ms Vaughan said.Mayor Lisa Matthews urged people with a lived experience of disability to get involved.“To be a truly responsive and inclusive community, our Coast needs to hear the voices of people who live with disabilities and understand the barriers they experience to full community participation,” Mayor Matthews said.Submissions are now open and close 5pm Thursday 23 July 2020.Further information available at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/EOI or by contacting Disability Inclusion Officer Jodie Frost Foster, 4325 8109 or Jodie.Frost-Foster@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Central Coast Council is helping young people 'help a mate' with a series of online workshops and video-based sessions exploring youth mental health and providing practical tips on coping with stressful life events.Kicking off this Wednesday with an online session from the Black Dog Institute, the series explores typical life events such as school or work transitions and exam pressures, along with the added crisis of living through a global pandemic.Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said when Council asked for young people’s input into the Coast’s Youth Strategy, they identified their own and friends’ mental health as being one of their top priorities.“With the help of Council’s Youth Action Team Y4Y, we’re providing ways young people can identify when they or a friend are at risk of experiencing poor mental health and giving practical tools to cope with stressful circumstances and build resilience,” Ms Vaughan said.“We’ve enlisted the expertise of one of Australia’s most respected mental health organisations, the Black Dog Institute, to talk about teens and young people and their mental health.”Suitable for young people, carers, parents and teachers, the full series of Help A Mate events is:Black Dog Institute online session, 15 July, 12pmVideo release – yoga, 29 July, 12pmAction Education online session - 12 August, 6pmVideo Release – meditation, 26 August, 12pmVideo Release – Y4Y - R U OK video tips & tricks, 9 September, 12pmMayor Lisa Matthews said helping young people learn how to be resilient through stressful times is an important investment society can make in creating a better future.“Our young people matter to us all, and we want them to move forward into their futures with the attitude and tools which will help them to find success and happiness in life.Register now for Wednesday’s online session at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/help-a-mate

Residents may have already spotted the first of a series of artworks popping up on the side of local roads recently as a number of nbn™ network nodes have been wrapped in striking indigenous designs.Council’s Director of Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the designs were created under the Maliga program in collaboration with local schools across the Coast - Kincumber Public, Kincumber HS, Wyong HS, Tuggerah Lakes Secondary College (both The Entrance and Berkeley Vale Campuses) and Wadalba Community School.“This inclusive project brings together the rich tapestry of our community and supports reconciliation through the celebration of Aboriginal arts and culture,” Ms Vaughan said.“These designs truly display the meaning of Maliga which is to ‘shine’ in Darkinjung language and they certainly take pride of place in our neighbourhoods.

Council remains committed to sustainable water supply management The Central Coast will remain on Level 1 Water Restrictions until at least November 2020.

Central Coast Council is continuing to support the local economy with a range of measures to help local businesses experiencing hardship in the current economic climate.The initiatives follow an earlier support package for businesses during the recent COVID-19 closures.The phase two support package takes a multi-pronged approach to assisting business owners.

Council are calling on the community to dream big and share their ideas to shape the future of The Entrance Town Centre with consultation running online until 2 August 2020.Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said The Entrance Town Centre has the foundations to be a thriving and engaging destination all year round - not just during the holiday season.“To help this vital Town Centre live up to its full potential we are looking to the community to provide their input as we develop a Place Plan to create a revitalised and activated area for work, play and social connection," Ms Vaughan said. This Place Plan will identify a series of future initiatives and projects that will improve the visitor experience and transform how the community interacts with this area whilst providing an ongoing boost to local businesses.Mayor Lisa Matthews said the importance of effective Place Plans is now more important than ever for our local economy.“Local businesses are still feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and it’s important for recovery and ongoing resilience that this Town Centre is bustling with activity and draws the community and visitors to the area,” Mayor Matthews said.“I encourage the community, and especially the local business operators, to jump online and share their thoughts on what is and isn’t currently working and their vision for future of The Entrance Town Centre.“Together we can create an engaging, safe and welcoming space for everyone to enjoy and be proud of.”Go to www.yourvoiceourcoast.com before 2 August to share your ideas and aspirations.

Despite the interruption COVID-19 has had on our every day lives, Council has been able to continue delivering essential services for our community and play our part in keeping the economy going and keeping locals in jobs.The latest milestone is Council’s progression with important water and sewerage infrastructure for Gosford CBD and Warnervale Town Centre.These projects are part of the NSW Government’s Central Coast Regional Plan 2036 - the ‘blueprint’ for growing our regional economy, accelerating housing supply and protecting and enhancing the natural environment on the Central Coast.Supported by a combined $21million in NSW Government funding under the Housing Acceleration Fund, this important next step will assist Council’s delivery of water and sewage infrastructure in two key growth areas of the Central Coast.In Gosford CBD it will help meet the needs of an increased level of high-rise residential dwellings, the ongoing redevelopment of Gosford Hospital, the completion of the ATO and NSW Financial Services developments and other developments planned for the Gosford CBD area.In Warnervale Town Centre it will help accelerate housing and commercial development in line with the Government’s plans for the region.

Kids across the coast will be squealing with delight with an abundance of new playspaces to visit across the Central Coast and more in the works.The past twelve months has seen the design, construction and delivery of 18 new or renewed local playspaces across the region, five playspace upgrades with the best and biggest soon to come.

The Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), established to coordinate the emergency response to coastal erosion at Wamberal will move from operational to alert status. Superintendent Tony Joice said with the response phase now complete and emergency works underway, it is time for a focus of recovery.“I want to thank all the combat agencies for their work over the past week in coming together to keep the community and providing immediate relief for affected residents,” Superintendent Joice said.“I am pleased to see the emergency works underway which is a direct outcome of the work of the EOC.“All combat agencies will remain on standby and we will reopen the EOC as needed.”Local Recovery Coordinator, Lee Shearer, is now in charge of working with the community on recovery.

Central Coast Council is planning to hold a program of entertainment and performances as part The Lakes Festival in November with a range of COVID-safe measures in place.While the event will look a little different this year, the popular 10-day program celebrates the Central Coast’s beautiful and diverse waterways and Council is currently seeking Expressions of Interest (EOI’s) from local businesses, companies, organisations and community groups who would like to be involved.Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard said The Lakes Festival is built on creative and ‘outside the box’ ideas from across the Coast.“We’ll have to do The Lakes Festival a little differently this year to ensure we are COVID-safe but it is exciting that we are able to move forward with this special program that celebrates our region’s incredible waterways,” Mr Cannard said."This year Memorial Park will come alive with ‘Under The Wave’, a pop up wave structure that will play host to fantastic entertainment featured across the ten day program."If you have creative vision and would love to be part of the ten day program we want to hear from you – we’re looking for great music, theatrical performances and ‘outside the box’ creative ideas to fill the space.“Contributors will need to stay true to the overarching theme of our waterways and will benefit inclusion in our marketing campaign and a listing in the program.”Guidelines for EOI's include:inclusive and immersive entertainment, including live music, magic shows, circus performances, dance groups, comedy nights, movie nights plus moreenvironmental focus or a connection to the waterwaysbold, innovative, fun and ‘out of the box’ ideasshows need to be ticketed, either paid or free, for 100 participants maximum, while abiding to all social distancing requirements.Mayor Lisa Matthews said it was exciting to see plans underway to hold this special program for the Coast in a challenging year.“The Lakes Festival is without a doubt an annual highlight for our region and it is made possible through the contributions of so many amazing local businesses, groups and organisations,” Mayor Matthews said.“It has been disappointing to see so many events cancelled due to COVID-19 and I’d encourage creative locals to come together and be part of The Lakes Festival for 2020.”Submissions close on Friday 7 August 2020 at 2pm and can be completed by visiting – centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/lakesfestivaleoi