February Council meeting sees a push for Bells Line Expressway, new playgrounds, and the adoption of…

The Second Ordinary Meeting of Council for 2025 was held on Monday night and resolutions were made on several important items of advocacy, reporting, updates on Council projects and allocation of resources that will continue to move the Lithgow LGA forward.

The topic of connectivity between the Central West and Western Sydney emerged during the meeting with a motion passed for the Council to advocate to the State and Federal Governments to pursue the construction of the long-proposed Bells Line Expressway. The Council agreed to fully support the future planning and major construction of the Bells Line Expressway across the Blue Mountains and to seek support from the neighbouring Council and local government organisations for their advocacy for the project.

In a boost for the local creative scene, the Council has approved a new program which would see small grants given to community groups who organise live music events within the Lithgow LGA.  This will be referred to the Events Working Group for planning.

The Council approved the Lithgow City Council Smart Places RoadMAP which provides a strategic framework to support the provision and management of smart public open spaces across the Lithgow Local Government Area.

Action was taken on a number of administrative items including the December 2024 Quarterly budget review, the six-monthly report and the re-establishment of Alcohol-Free Zones, in Lithgow, Wallerawang and Portland.

The Council also moved to authorise contracts for Specialist Services for the Wolgan Road Reconstruction Project, an important step as the Council continues to work with the Community, contractors and other levels of government to restore full and permanent access into the Wolgan Valley.

The Council will enter new long-term contracts with J R & E G Richards (NSW) Pty Ltd for Waste Collection Services and Australian Native Landscapes Pty Ltd for Organics Processing Services (FOGO).

The Council were advised of the construction of two new playgrounds, one in Glen Davis and one at Lake Lyell, as part of Council’s commitment to improving the quality and safety of our local parks.  The program is partially funded through the special rate variation (SRV).

The Council extended its support to local swimmer Charlie Evans who is the recipient of a Sporting Financial Assistance Grant to attend the 2025 National Age Swimming Championships.

The next Ordinary Meeting will take place on Monday 24 March 2025 at 6:30pm at the Lithgow City Council Chambers.