Central Coast Council is continuing its work to fix potholes and other road defects after a combination of three major flood events and higher-than-average rainfall patterns over the past eight months which resulted in unprecedented damage to the local road network.Since 1 March 2022, 73,000 potholes have been patched across the Coast’s 2000km road network.Council Director of Infrastructure Services, Boris Bolgoff, said while Council has short, medium, and long-term strategies to manage and prevent potholes impacting the roads, the on-going wet weather has resulted in the need to adapt work plans.“Pothole patching is continuing across numerous suburbs which may also receive medium and long-term solutions such as heavy patching in the near future.“It is a priority for us to keep the roads open to traffic.

Council is encouraging the Central Coast community to ask their friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours “Are you ok?” ahead of R U OK?

Road rehabilitation works have commenced on Wisemans Ferry Road which is expected to impact residents and motorists for approximately six weeks.Ongoing severe weather events in February, March and July of this year have impacted several sites along Wisemans Ferry Road, causing dangerous road conditions such as embankment failures, minor landslips and significant pavement damage.

Central Coast Council is giving the endangered Green and Golden Bell Frog a helping hand by collecting and relocating tadpoles from the Bareena wetland to ponds at North Avoca, which were constructed by Council to provide additional habitat for the threatened species.

Over the last month I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting various community groups around the Central Coast to hear about the issues that matter to them. Community members and I have discussed a range of topics – from Council finances, to potholes and general service delivery – and I have appreciated hearing the passionate and informed perspectives of Central Coast locals.In early August I attended the Wyong Neighbourhood Centre’s Tuesday Discussion Group, where I was asked about Council’s financial position, libraries and how road works are managed and prioritised, among other topics.

Council has completed the Tuggerah Lakes Entrance Management Study which included the development of the Interim Entrance Management Procedure, to assist in reducing flood risk and impacts to the community. The interim procedure is intended to guide Council’s channel management until the Entrance Management Strategy is completed, as part of the Tuggerah Lakes Coastal Management Program.

Council is taking part in mental health awareness campaign, R U OK?

Council is encouraging the community to have their say on the draft Dogs in Open Space Action Plan now on exhibition.The 10-year Action Plan provides a framework for future planning, management and prioritisation of infrastructure, including where dogs are allowed on or off-leash and where they are prohibited.

Council adopts Operational Plan and Budget 2022/23Council has adopted with amendments its Delivery Program 2022-2025, including the Operational Plan and Budget, Fees and Charges for 2022/23, the Resourcing Strategy and revised Community Strategic Plan.Council CEO David Farmer said that the main amendments for the 2022/23 Operational Plan and Budget related to addressing some service areas where Council is not meeting community expectations and necessary updates to reflect IPART’s (Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal) May 2022 determination on the water, sewer and stormwater drainage pricing. “There is increased budget allocation for key service areas of local roads maintenance, vegetation management, for more staff resources in development assessment and to meet our legislative requirements to develop Plans of Management,” Mr Farmer said. “Additionally, we are taking a cautious budgetary approach and have allocated a contingency for increased electricity costs due to current volatility in the electricity market. “Our budget reflects zero increases to the domestic waste management service charges for most of our customers, a one percent increase in rates and commencement of staggered increases to water and sewer service charges.

Central Coast athletes, including previous gold and silver medal winners, from a variety of sporting disciplines are on their way to the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart congratulated the athletes, many of whom are graduates of the Central Coast Academy of Sport or who have come through the Academy’s Future Stars program.“We are so proud of these athletes who have dedicated so much of their lives to be the best they can possibly be in their selected sport,” Mr Hart said.Australia will be taking its largest overseas contingent of Commonwealth Games athletes ever to this month’s Birmingham Games.Competing athletes from the Central Coast include backstroke champion Brad Woodward who started swimming at Mingara Swim Club, did Nippers at Shelly Beach, worked as a Council Lifeguard at age 17, and is still a volunteer Surf Lifesaver with Shelly Beach Surf Club. Brad won both silver and gold medals at the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast, and at Birmingham will be competing in the 100m and 200m backstroke events.Matthew Dawson from Killarney Vale, a member of the Australian Men’s Hockey Team, the Kookaburras, will be representing Australia again, having also competed at the 2018 Games.