| The Bight Cemetery repair program |
A report was presented on the restoration works underway at The Bight Cemetery Wingham. Currently 23 of the 68 damaged monuments have been repaired, stonemasons have been engaged to repair a further two and 16 are awaiting approval from insurers. A total of 14 are still awaiting an application or response from registered parties/family members. Council staff will continue to work with families to finalise the repairs. Council continues to provide quarterly reports to Cemeteries and Crematoria NSW and will continue to report to Councillors on a quarterly basis. |
| Development application for demolition approved |
Consent was provided for the demolition of existing structures on 35-39 Wharf Street, Forster and the construction of a two-storey business. The block runs from Wharf Street through to the car park on Head Street and currently has two detached buildings, along with a two-storey mixed use business. The new building will also be two-storey and will house an optometrist. |
| Parrys Cove biodiversity planning agreement |
Council resolved to enter into a planning agreement with Sheargold Property Developments Pty Ltd to secure conservation measures in connection with a proposed community title subdivision known as Parrys Cove in the northern part of Tea Gardens. The Parrys Cove development includes 691 residential lots, community facilities, a future commercial lot and a large conservation lot. The development is proposed to be delivered in 16 stages and has been approved by the Hunter Central Coast Joint Regional Planning Panel. As part of this approval Sheargold offered to enter into a planning agreement to conserve 114.2 hectares of high-quality biodiversity land. This includes dedication of the land to Council. This agreement was placed on public exhibition last year, with four submissions (two for, two against) received. At the meeting Council resolved to authorise the planning agreement. |
| Draft Hunter Regional Plan |
Councillors endorsed a submission on the draft Hunter Regional Plan. This submission raises the challenges the plan creates for MidCoast Council, in particular in terms of density requirements that would impact significantly on the character of our towns and villages and are opposed to what our community has told us they want for development in our region. The submission also raises the issue of housing availability and affordability as critical issues facing the MidCoast that are not addressed in the plan. There is concern the Hunter Plan could have a negative impact on our local community through the required implementation of density and infill/greenfield benchmarks and potential delays in the release of land for future housing. There is also a concern the new processes and strategies the plan is requiring will have an impact on resourcing and the delivery of a new MidCoast Local Environment Plan and Development Control Plan. |
| State Planning Reforms |
Council also endorsed a submission to the Department of Planning and Environment on the State’s new approach to rezoning. The State Government proposed approach is more closely aligned with the development application process and specifically encourages combined rezoning and development applications to support economic activity and reduce timeframes. This approach would see a rezoning application publicly exhibited on the NSW Planning Portal shortly after it is forwarded to Council. The applicant/proponent would then review public submissions before potentially amending their rezoning application and resubmitting for Council assessment. An appeals process is proposed that can be used by a proponent when a council refuses to support the rezoning application. |
| Employment Zone Reform |
Councillors were provided information on the Department of Planning and Environment’s Employment zone reform program that will amend zones, land uses and local clauses in the existing local environmental plans for Gloucester, Great Lakes and Greater Taree. This reform program has rationalised the number of employment zones and increases flexibility within the new zones to expand the land uses that are permitted. The reform provides a significant opportunity to fast-track the results of Council’s strategic planning program and provide clear and consistent employment zone provisions ahead of the MidCoast LEP program. |
| Draft Marine Parks Network Management Plan |
Council also provided a submission to the Marine Estate Management Authority on the draft Marine Parks Network Management Plan. The technical submission indicates overall support for the actions identified in the plan and notes it is consistent with Council’s plans. Key themes in the submission included an additional action to protect the catchments of sensitive waterways and support ecosystem services to the Marine Park to conserve coastal wetlands, foreshore land and vegetated landscapes, and additional actions to provide support for the implementation of Council’s adopted plans and strategies. |
| Memorandum of understanding with Mid-Coast 2 Tops Landcare |
This was endorsed by Council to support the partnership with the community based MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare Connection. The group and Council share a common purpose to promote and support community engagement and environmental stewardship from the mountains to the coast. The group has many volunteers who work on Council managed public land. Landcare groups also make a significant contribution to conserving natural values on private land throughout the LGA. |
| Disaster Recovery Grant funding |
Funding of $76,510 has been allocated to eight local projects as part of disaster recovery grant funding supported by the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery funding arrangements.
The following projects received funds after assessment by a panel including Mayor Claire Pontin, Deputy Mayor Alan Tickle and Cr Katheryn Smith recommended funding for the following:
- Mooral Creek Hall and Progress Association Inc - $10,550 ‘The Mooral Support Program’ a series of local, artist-led free creative workshops.
- MidCoast 2 Tops Landcare Connections - $3,380 for free education on fire management and ecology program.
- Mission Australia - $8715 for hearing the voices of children and young people in disaster response and resilience planning.
- Manning Valley Neighbourhood Services - $12,400 for ‘Stories The beginning and the middle’ - project will engage artists and storytellers to facilitate workshops that allow local women to explore their experiences during and after the fires.
- Wherrol Flat Tennis Club - $15,000 for a tennis shed.
- Wherrol Flat Hall - $13,785 for healing through song and water projects, including hosting song writing workshops and the installation of a rainwater tank.
- Ag Farming Systems - $8,780 for ‘know your farm’ project to provide learning on actions landholders can take to recover from the impacts of natural disasters.
- MidCoast Outreach Inc - $3900 for a defibrillator.
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| Tenders let for major construction projects |
The meeting resolved to award tenders for the following projects:
- Construction of industrial lands access road at Northern Gateway roundabout
- Tender Old Bar Road stage 4 – cemetery to Metz Road section
- Bucketts Way Forbesdale water main upgrade
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| General Manager performance review panel |
The meeting established a panel to conduct the General Manager’s performance review as per the Office of Local Government’s guidelines. The three Councillor panel will be the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Cr Paul Sandilands. |
| Water and sewage treatment plants annual operational cost comparisons |
A report outlining the costs of operating our water treatment plants, sewage treatment plants and recycled treatment plants indicated overall sewage treatment costs slightly increased in 2020-21 compared to 2019-20. This is due to a 38 percent increase in volume due to stormwater infiltrating into sewer systems during wet weather. Water costs reduced following an increase the previous year during the drought and then bushfires.
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| Capital works projects
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A report on the major capital works underway in the transport, water and wastewater area provided updates on a number of the major projects underway, including:
- Northern Gateway –roundabout complete and in use, work underway to connect with Princes Street, including drainage with work expected to be complete late March.
- Farquhar Street, Wingham – Roundabout at Farquhar/Primrose completed in January 2022.
- Muldoon Street, Taree – tender assessment underway with work to start in April.
- Cowper Street, Taree – Drainage and pavement works are continuing with detours expected to be in place until mid-March.
- Diamond Beach Road – Reconstruction of around 350m of road pavement. Reconstruction works completed in January 2022, ahead of schedule.
- Work to start this month on The Lakes Way, Palm Lakes, Lakes Way Boolambayte, Wingham Road/Youngs Road intersection.
- Bridge renewals at Parsons Bridge Bunyah Road, Little Tiri Bridge, Tiri, Killabaakh Creek and Mooral Creek Bridge were completed over the last few months.
- Work is due to be completed on bridges at Caparra, Booral and Curricabbark Road over the coming months.
- Work is underway on 16 separate projects to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure across the local government area
- Sewer and water mains renewal projects are also underway at a number of sites in Harrington, Smiths Lake, Hallidays Point, Hawks Nest, Forster, Manning Point, Taree South, Tuncurry, Stroud, Old Bar, Pacific Palms and more.
- An annual report on Council’s drinking water quality management system.
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