December Council Meeting Recap

Published on 20 December 2022

Last night’s Council meeting supported the appointment of newly elected Councillor, Belinda McKenzie to a variety of Council Committees, including the Corporate Services Standing Committee, Murrurundi District Community Advisory Committee and the Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee.

Council supported donations to the following community groups.

-       Lions Club of Murrurundi towards their Carols by Candlelight event held on December 17, 2022.

-       Cassilis Rodeo to assist with the running of their 2023 event

Council also resolved to continue to apply the resident contribution fees to properties that front the Merriwa footpath and cycleway.

When Council made the application for the $922,674 grant to fund the footpath and cycleway, it advised the funding body that it would be seeking $60,000 in contributions from the adjoining property owners in accordance with our policy. The grant was successful based on this funding mix. During the design of the footpath and cycleway Council consulted with the former council run committee, the Merriwa Economic, Development and Tourism committee with the design agreed by those consulted with at the meeting and on site.

In the last 4 years footpaths have been constructed across the shire and the footpath contribution has been applied to every single one of these projects.

Council supported the recommendation to join the Committee for the Hunter, which consists of 60 member organisations representing institutions from across the Hunter region. The Committee for the Hunter play an advocacy role and were successful in getting increased investment into the Newcastle Airport, funding for social and crisis housing, economic growth, and jobs growth. By joining the committee Council will be enabled to advocate for the Upper Hunter Region for event promotion, tourism opportunities and promotion, agribusiness, clean energy, construction and health.

Council also noted the publication of the Upper Hunter Shire Council Annual Report 2021 – 2022, which is available on our website.