Mayoral Column - Wednesday 16 December 2020

Council Meeting

Our final Ordinary Council Meeting for the year will held at Rydges Jindabyne on Thursday 17 December 2020. This is the first Council meeting open to the public since COVID-19 restrictions were put in place and it will be great to see attendees in person again rather than just via screens. Places are limited so if you would like to attend in person email [email protected] otherwise the webcast will still be available via Council’s website or Facebook page.

Items to be discussed at the meeting include the Draft Rural Land Use Strategy and the proposed use of E3 Environmental Management zoning, a proposed grant variation request for a Jindabyne Library and Innovation Hub, an additional report on the proposed Highdale Carpark improvements in the Berridale community commercial area, and minutes from the recent meeting of the Snowy Monaro Regional Council Local Traffic Committee – with recommendations for some changes to local road speed requirements being put before Council.

Regional Health Services

One of the key discussion topics at the recent Country Mayors’ Association meeting was the availability of health services in regional local government areas. Health services issues are similar across a lot of regional NSW where communities face limited access to specialised health services, lack of walk-in medical centres/clinics, difficulties retaining medical services in smaller towns, and the need for community members to have to travel at their own expense to seek specialised diagnostic, medical and surgical services.

The Country Mayors’ Association welcomed the Parliamentary Inquiry for Health outcomes and access to health and hospital services in rural, regional and remote New South Wales. We will continue to work together to lobby the NSW Government to ensure there is no further decline in services with the ultimate goal to deliver improved health outcomes for community members in our regional areas.

Christmas Opening Hours

Council’s offices in Cooma, Berridale, Bombala and Jindabyne will close at midday on Thursday 24 December and reopen at 8.30am on Monday 4 January 2021. Council’s 24/7 customer service line will however be available throughout for urgent enquiries – call 1300 345 345. See Council’s website for hours of other services.

Councillor Peter Beer Mayor of Snowy Monaro Regional Council