COUNCIL NEWS – November 2014 As Council aims to hold two meetings per year at venues other than Culcairn and Holbrook, Council held its November meeting at the Little Billabong Hall, 27km north of Holbrook on Wednesday, 19 November 2014. There was good support from the local community, and it was useful to hear the aspirations and concerns of a number of people within that community. Thank you to the Little Billabong community for hosting the Council meeting, and supplying a delicious meal. Back to the agenda, and first to be considered were three ‘notice of motions’ raised by councillors for Council to consider. Firstly, Council agreed to investigate a review of the out of hours access to Council owned swimming pools by schools and this will entail a further report to Council after the review. Secondly, Council did not support a motion for the reinstatement of the Albury-Jindera Recreation Path as a future project. Thirdly, in relation to Fit For The Future, a reform program for local government in NSW, Council agreed to initiate contact and accept invitations from neighbouring councils to explore all options to ensure that Greater Hume Shire remains a rural shire. Council approved a development application for construction of a dwelling and garage in Jelbart Road, Jindera. Council next received a report about costing of a third swimming pool at the Jindera Swimming Pool Complex. Council had earlier in the year allocated $80,000 in the budget for the project. A motion to proceed with the construction of the third pool at the complex at a total cost of $130,000 was not supported by Council at the meeting. Council also received a report regarding the conversion of the Henty Landfill to a Transfer Station and Council’s application seeking grant funding to assist with that conversion. Council agreed to support the grant application for such, and if successful Council will construct and operate a transfer station at Henty and that it supported loan borrowings to be also utilized to fund the project. Council agreed to support a Local Heritage Places grant of $2,000 to support conservation works to the National Museum of Australian Pottery frontage located at Holbrook. Council endorsed a funding agreement under the NSW Local Infrastructure Renewal Scheme which provides a 3% interest rate subsidy for a 10 year loan to enable the rehabilitation and widening of 10.7km of Alma Park Road, which is predicted to save Council $253,537 for the term of the loan. On-ground works are scheduled to commence March 2015. Council then received a report regarding correspondence received from the Federal Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications, Paul Fletcher MP, regarding mobile phone black spots and telecommunications issues in the shire. The report outlined that Council’s Mayor and General Manager had met with Mr Fletcher in May 2014 discussing black spot issues, the lack of internet ports in some towns and poor television reception particularly in the eastern parts of the shire. Mr Fletcher has advised that an announcement will be made in the first half of 2015 with regard to the funding projects to eliminate black spots. The report identified, however, that Council has little capacity to influence the outcome of the review as funding will be reliant on telecommunication companies applying for the funding, not local government authorities. Council agreed to make a further submission to Sussan Ley, MP, Member for Farrar, regarding the need for issues relating to emergency services and economic development to gain an independent allocation of funding. Council also adopted a report that supported the gifting of SES vehicles and trailers to the NSW SES provided that vehicles remain in Greater Hume Shire. Next Council decided to support a request from the Jindera Cottage Crafts to waive contributions for kerb and gutter construction adjacent to 118 Urana Street, Jindera. The Australian Government’s Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development released the much awaited National Stronger Regions Fund on 1 October 2014, with round one applications closing on 28 November 2014. At the meeting, Council received a report that supported Council making a well-developed submission for grant funding under the second round which will open 1 May 2015. Projects that Council could submit might include Yarara Gap Jingellic Road project, the railway crossing north of Henty and the next staged development of Jindera Industrial Estate. Council also adopted to seek an increase in admission fees to the Holbrook Submarine Museum, noting that it was necessary to seek public consultation on the fee increase. Next, Council received a report seeking a resolution to advise the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) that it intends to apply for a special rate variation to increase rate revenue to finance increased expenditure to improve Council’s road network. Council had at its August meeting resolved to undertake extensive community engagement with the community regarding a special rate variation presenting two options for the community to consider. This has involved developing a 16 page booklet which has been distributed via Australia Post to all residences and businesses in the shire, engaging a survey of community attitudes for the proposal, development of an informative website and facebook profile, and holding community briefing sessions in five towns in the shire along with a study of the financial impact of such a rate increase along with other measures to engage residents on the matter. Council adopted the recommendation to advise IPART that subject to the outcome of community consultation it intends to seek an increase in total rate revenue commencing in 2015 for a period of three years (and resulting in a permanent increase in rate revenue), to adopt the community engagement strategy and relative policies, that work commence on a formal application and that Council continue to pursue other measures designed to achieve organisational efficiencies. A report was also presented regarding the community development grants program for 2014. A total of $29,859 was approved for 10 projects across the shire with a further report to be presented to the December meeting regarding the Brocklesby Fun Run application. Council endorsed the proposal to temporarily change the length limit on Grubben Link Road from 15 metres to 19 metres. A report on the renaming of streets in Holbrook was received by Council. Council agreed to endorse the renaming of a number of streets in the town and commence the community consultation process and also to advertise for future suggested road names for the Holbrook township. An engineering report was received updating Council on the progress of its application for $2.5M funding under the Fixing Country Roads Program for the $3.5M Yarara Gap upgrade (with Council’s contribution to be $1M). The report advised Council that it has been successful in Round 1 of the application process and Council is now required to submit detailed application for Round 2 of the assessment process. Council approved the expenditure of $140,000 to develop the Jingellic Road (Yarara Gap) Project to a ‘shovel ready’ status and to ensure a best chance of grant success. Finally Council received an update report regarding the status of the Culcairn Town Bore Replacement Project. Frustrating to say the least, the installation of a new bore to provide a suitable water supply to Australian Drinking Water Guidelines to date has been unsuccessful. With one only operating bore at Culcairn, Council must proceed with sinking another bore to ensure that the security of water supply for residents in that town. Therefore, Council has endorsed the sinking of a further test bore, and that staff investigate options from other drilling contractors for the conversion of the test bore to a production bore, and that a further report be presented to Council. The next ordinary meeting of Greater Hume Shire Council will be held on Wednesday, 17 December at the Library Complex, CTC Holbrook commencing with a public forum at 4.30pm. Copies of meeting agendas (including full reports on the items mentioned above) and minutes are available for viewing at any time on Council’s website or in person at any Greater Hume Customer Service Centre. Cr Heather Wilton – Mayor greaterhume.nsw.gov.au
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 01:46:34 +0000
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