Council Meeting Update - 12 November 2019

12 November 2019

Here is an overview from tonight’s council meeting:

The engagement of a leisure planner through an open quotation process was endorsed. This endorsement allows Council to continue in the forward planning of the Tamworth Regional Aquatic and Leisure Centre. A leisure planner will assist the project team in developing a fit-for-purpose and best practice facility design, review design packages and define the lead designer’s scope of works related to Phase 2 of the project. Council has agreed to an amendment of its Drought Management Plan which will see Manilla and Barraba now treated as one water supply. The two towns recently began sharing a 515ML/year entitlement from Split Rock Dam. The amendment will be implemented once a Temporary Water Restriction issued under Section 324 of the Water Management Act 2000 is introduced reducing allocations for general security entitlement holders in the Upper Namoi, provided by Split Rock Dam to 0%. This means Barraba will move to Level 3 water restrictions upon introduction of the order which is expected to occur on December 2. The order will result in the only releases from Split Rock Dam being made for Manilla and Barraba. It is expected that when the order is introduced there will be sufficient supply in Split Rock Dam for Manilla and Barraba for 2 years. Council has agreed that, where possible, it will consider providing assistance to owners of active high security and stock and domestic entitlements that are impacted by the stopping of flows in the Peel River scheduled to occur on 30 November 2019. This includes two entitlement holders, 260 Fishers Lane and the Loomberah Heights Water Users Association, who have approached Council requesting access to the Dungowan Pipeline in order to receive their allocations from Chaffey Dam. Water will be made available from the Dungowan Pipeline based on a number of conditions. In addition to making a submission to the review process for the current Namoi Water Resource Plan and associated Peel Water Sharing Plan, Tamworth Regional Council will write to the NSW Minister of Water, Property and Housing requesting the review of the current Water Sharing Plans be delayed until after the current drought is over so lessons that have been, and that will continue to be, learnt can be incorporated. Council will also raise concerns about the lack of changes proposed in the Water Sharing Plan for the Peel Regulated River Water Sources 2020. Council believes the limited number of minor changes does not adequately address how the Water Sharing Plan will improve the reliability and security of Tamworth, Moonbi and Kootingal’s water supply into the future. Council have requested further investigations and discussions take place in relation to future effluent from the Westdale Wastewater Treatment Plant being redirected from Council’s Reuse Farm down the Peel River. Council has approved an allocation of $61,000 for the Annual Donations Program for the 2019/2020 financial year, $48,929.58 of which went to local community groups.  Each year, the Tamworth Regional Council invites local non-for-profit organisations, charities and community groups to apply for donations.  The Program sought submissions between 5 August and 10 September. Over this period, 25 submissions were made totaling $128, 369.11. The submissions represented a diverse interest from community groups across the LGA. An assessment panel identified 22 of the submissions as successful and are to be awarded an individual donation value.