Council News 23 May 2018

Council News 23 May 2018

COUNCIL NEWS 23 MAY 2018

As residents are aware the assistant Minister for Skills the Hon Adam Marshall MP visited Grenfell on Wednesday 4 October 2017 and announced plans for Grenfell to have a new, modern vocational education campus, called a Connected Learning Centre (CLC).

The states first four CLCs have been established in Northern NSW and are delivering high quality training and services to students. The NSW Government is committed to delivering an innovative, next generation Connected Learning Centre (CLC) in Grenfell.

In this regard TAFE NSW are currently in the process of purchasing Council land at 44-46 George Street, Grenfell being the vacant land adjacent to the Band Hall area.

As TAFE has lodged a Development Application (DA) due process and diligence particularly in regards to community consultation will be adhered to as the DA is currently on public exhibition for a period of 28 days for comment. TAFE NSW will also be undertaking community consultation by having their staff available in the Community Hub to allow the public to inspect the proposal during the exhibition period. TAFE staff will be completing this consultation in the Community Hub conference room on Thursday afternoon 31 May, 2018 from 2pm-5pm and Friday 1 June, 2018 from 9.30am-5pm.

The development of this State-of-the-Art facility in Grenfell will allow local students access to a flexible learning and assessment model that will provide personalised and connected learning experiences, better access to teachers both on and off site, and the skills they need for real life jobs in regional communities. In addition to providing local students with access to a greater range of learning and course options, the CLCs are designed to be easily reorganised to suit a variety of community needs.

This approach, supported by the NSW Government, will allow TAFE NSW to significantly enhance its service and presence across regional NSW, with a focus on communities where TAFE NSW doesn’t already have a presence or where out-dated facilities are not meeting the needs of students, employers and local communities.

A virtual fly-through of a CLC and further information is available on: www.tafensw.edu.au/clc

The other big news of the week was the Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW the Hon John Barilaro and Local Government Minister the Hon Gabrielle Upton announcing more than 70 Councils across regional NSW have voluntarily joined forces to establish a new network of eleven (11) Joint Organisations (JO’s).

The JO’s were proclaimed on 9 May, 2018 by the Hon David Hurley Governor of New South Wales with Weddin Shire a member of the Central NSW JO. JO’s are a key component of the local government reform process and have the intention to transform the way in which the State Government and local government collaborates and sets regional priorities to support local communities.

While the choice to join and composition of a Joint Organisation is voluntary, the NSW Government is only supporting the creation of Joint Organisations within existing State planning regions and in regional NSW. The network of JO’s in regional NSW are detailed below:

Joint Organisation

Member Councils

Canberra Region Joint Organisation

Bega Valley, Eurobodalla, Goulbourn Mulwaree, Hilltops, Queanbeyan-Palerang, Snowy Monaro, Upper Lachlan, Wingecarribee, Yass Valley

Central NSW Joint Organisation

Bathurst, Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Forbes, Lachlan, Oberon, Orange, Parkes, Weddin

Hunter Joint Organisation

Cessnock, Dungog, Lake Macquarie, Maitland, Mid-Coast, Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Port Stevens, Singleton, Upper-Hunter

Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation

Kiama, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven, Wollongong

Mid North Coast Joint Organisation

Bellingen, Kempsey, Port Macquarie-Hastings

Namoi Joint Organisation

Gunnedah, Gwydir, Liverpool Plains, Tamworth, Walcha

New England Joint Organisation

Armidale, Glen Innes Severn, Inverell, Moree Plains, Tenterfield, Uralla

Northern Rivers Joint Organisation

Ballina, Byron, Kyogle, Lismore, Richmond Valley, Tweed

Orana Joint Organisation

Cobar, Gilgandra, Mid-Western, Narromine, Warrumbungle

Riverina and Murray Joint Organisation

Albury, Berrigan, Edward River, Federation, Griffith, Hay, Leeton, Murray River, Murrumbidgee

Riverina Joint Organisation

Bland, Coolamon, Cootamundra-Gundagai, Greater Hume, Junee, Lockhart, Temora

Council has been working collaboratively with the other mentioned Councils in the Central NSW JO for many years and it is envisaged this same level of co-operation and collaboration will continue with this new organisation which will enhance the way State and Local Governments work together in the future.

Councils Integrated Planning and Reporting Process is continuing with Council, at its May 2018 Council meeting, resolving to place the draft 2017/2021 Delivery Program and draft 2018/2019 Operational Plan on public display for comment.  There are a number of Capital Works Projects proposed for 2018/2019 which include the following:  

Grenfell Medical Centre development, Sewerage Treatments Works upgrade, maintenance and capital works on Council road network, Grenfell Waste Facility Works upgrades and provision of funds for the future Taylor Park toilet upgrade, administration projects such as the replacement of IT equipment, systems review, LEP review, organisational review, projects emanating from the Innovation Fund program’s new Improvement Plan, provision for floodplain maintenance from the Grenfell Flood Study, continuation of strong support for the Henry Lawson Festival as well as other events.

The Integrated Planning documents are now on public exhibition for comment before being resubmitted to the June 2017 Council meeting for formal adoption.

The Lachlan Regional Transport Committee (LRTC) held its meeting at the Grenfell Bowling Club on Saturday the 19th May 2018 with Council represented by Mayor Cr Mark Liebich, Cr Craig Bembrick who is one of Councils delegates to the LRTC, Director Engineering Raju Ranjit and myself.

The member for Cootamundra the Hon Stephanie Cooke MP was also in attendance together with local LRTC representatives Maurice Simpson, Dennis Hughes and John Hetherington.

There were a number of transport issues discussed particularly the re-opening of Blayney to Demondrille rail line including the line from Greenethorpe to Koorawatha.

The LRTC and the five Council’s involved in the Cowra Rail Lines Group are still pushing the financial, social, and economic benefits of the re-opening of the line, and also the strategic importance of freight corridors. This includes reducing the number of heavy vehicles off our congested roads; better access to and from Sydney markets and ports for country producers; safer transport; reduced energy use and pollution; and less congestion of the Sydney-Blue Mountains line.

The LRTC and Councils see the strategic significance of the line re-routing from the Sydney train commuter network and providing a link directly into Port Kembla and Port Botany, a link that would be enhanced with the completion of the much-anticipated Maldon Dombarton link.

These are enormous economic benefits let alone the social and environmental benefits of getting an increasingly-large volume of heavy vehicles off our rural roads and on to rail.

It was great to have the member for Cootamundra’s support in our endeavours to do this.

On Sunday 20 May, 2018 Weddin Shire Council proudly hosted the Arts OutWest (AOW) Annual General Meeting and regional gathering in Grenfell with Council represented by Mayor Cr Mark Liebich, Cr Brown who is Council’s delegate to AOW, Cr Niven, Arts and Tourism Officer Clair McCann and myself.

Over the past three years AOW have been working on moving to a new skills-based board model with a new constitution. The new board will be phased in over two years with Councils and CSU represented by an Advisory Council who will be able to specifically represent the interests of their respective Council areas.

Weddin Shire will be represented with Cr Brown as interim Chair of the Advisory Council being a member of the new board which is great for the Weddin Shire.

This is an exciting change for AOW with this new model offering a stronger model for governance in AOW while also offering better opportunities for representation of Council’s interests.

A reminder that applications for the NSW Family Energy rebate are now open. NSW Families with dependent children who may be eligible are encouraged to apply for 2017-2018 Family Energy Rebate of up to $180. 

The Family Energy Rebate is one of a number of NSW Government energy assistance programs to help eligible households reduce the impact of energy costs. 

For more information visit https://www.resourcesandenergy.nsw.gov.au/energy-consumers/financialassistance/rebates/family-energy-rebate or to fill out an application form go online to www.applications.fer.trade.nsw.gov.au      

Applications close Thursday 21 June 2018.

As winter approaches Fire and Rescue NSW are urging all NSW residents to replace their smoke alarms and check that their friends and family do so too. Fire and Rescue NSW recommends that every house in NSW be fitted with the latest photoelectric smoke alarm.

It’s been a decade since NSW mandatory smoke alarm legislation was passed, which means millions of smoke alarms across NSW are now reaching their ‘best before’ date and are due to be replaced.

As part of Fire and Rescue NSW’s ‘ReAlarm your home against fire’ awareness campaign, throughout the month of May NSW Fire and Rescue is asking all NSW residents to replace their smoke alarms, and take the time to check in on 10 friends or family members to ensure they update their smoke alarms too.

For more information, visit http://www.fire.nsw.gov.au/realarm/

The exhibition at the Grenfell Art Gallery is "Shared Observations " by local artists Nina Roderick, Allen Crowe and Kathleen McCue which opened Tuesday 17 April 2018 and is on display until 1 June 2018.    Each artist portrays different mediums ranging from portraits of both human and animal forms, photography, painting and sculptures.   

The exhibition is proving to be very popular and well worth a visit to the Art Gallery to see.

 

Dates to Note

Friday 1 June 2018 –Recycling Collection (Grenfell East)

Monday 4 June 2018 – Recycling Collection (Grenfell West)

Street Stalls

Thursday 24 May 2018 – Henry Lawson P&C

Friday 25 May 2018 – Grace Inc

Saturday 26 May 2018 – Henry Lawson P&C

WEDDIN SHIRE COUNCIL

DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & ASSESSMENT ACT 1979

DA 28/2018

Council has received an Application Garage/Shed over LOT: 13 DP: 1229401 3 Guy Crescent GRENFELL 2810.

Inspection:      The application DA 28/2018 for Garage/Shed may be viewed between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm from 10 May 2018 and 25 May 2018 at the Council’s Office, Camp Street, Grenfell.

Submissions:   Any person may make a submission in writing to the Consent Authority within the advertised period.  Submissions objecting to the development are required to specify the grounds for objection.

Written submissions are to be received at Council by 4.00 pm on 25 May 2018.

  

WEDDIN SHIRE COUNCIL

DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING & ASSESSMENT ACT 1979

DA 30/2018

Council has received an application for a TAFE NSW Connected Learning Centre over LOT: 4 SEC: 17 DP: 758473 & LOT: 1 DP: 1086673, 44-46 George Street GRENFELL 2810.

Inspection:      The application DA 30/2018 for TAFE NSW Connected Learning Centre may be viewed between the hours of 9.00 am to 4.00 pm from 21 May 2018 and 18 June 2018 at the Council’s Office, Camp Street, Grenfell.

Submissions:   Any person may make a submission in writing to the Consent Authority within the advertised period.  Submissions objecting to the development are required to specify the grounds for objection.

Written submissions are to be received at Council by 4.00 pm on 18 June 2018.

PO BOX 125                                                                                                AUTHORISED BY

GRENFELL                                                                                                   GLENN CARROLL

                                                                                                                     GENERAL MANAGER