Summary: Council meeting 9 March 2022

Published on 09 March 2022

What happens at a Council meeting?

Councillors are our elected representatives and come together to represent the views and make decisions on behalf of their community.

They are responsible for ensuring the Council operates in accordance with legislation, is financially responsible and delivering to the needs of the community within the means of the budget.

Councillors meet regularly to make determinations on matters that impact on you and your community.

Following each meeting we provide a snapshot of the decisions that are made and the information that is tabled. For a full outline of the meeting and the discussion points, please refer to the agenda and business papers, or listen to a recording of the meeting – that can be found here.

Decisions of interest - 9 March 2022 Council meeting

Decisions of interest	Summary
Developer contribution exemption	The meeting determined to provide an exemption to the Crown from the developer contributions required as part of the construction of an ambulance station at 16 Breese Parade, Forster on the basis the development is for essential public health infrastructure and provides a significant community benefit.
Open Space and Recreation Strategy	Approval was provided to start talking to the community about open space and recreational needs to inform the development of a draft Open Space and Recreation Strategy. This strategy will be a blueprint for open space and recreational planning across the MidCoast until 2036. The purpose of the strategy will be to guide how Council will plan, implement and manage current and future open spaces, sport, creational, aquatics and associated community infrastructure.
Council committees	Councillors considered a report that reviewed the existing Council committees and appointed Councillor representatives to those committees. The following Councillors were appointed to the reference groups and panels. Bulahdelah Highway Service Centre Planning Agreement Reference Group • Cr Katheryn Smith and Cr Paul Sandliands (co-chairs) • Cr Alan Tickle (alternate) Community Inclusion and Wellbeing Reference Group • Cr Dheera Smith (chair) • Cr Katheryn Smith Floodplain Management Reference Group • Cr Alan Tickle (chair) • Cr David West Heritage Reference Group • Cr Kathryn Bell (chair) • Cr Dheera Smith Old Bar- Manning Point Coastal Management Program Reference Group • Cr Jeremy Miller (chair) • Cr Katheryn Smith Annual Donations Assessment Panel • Cr Peter Howard • Cr Katheryn Smith • Cr Peter Epov Event Sponsorship Assessment Panel • Cr Peter Howard • Cr Katheryn Smith • Cr Peter Epov Policy Working Group • Mayor Claire Pontin • Cr Katheryn Smith • Cr Alan Tickle • Cr David West The meeting also resolved to establish a new Community Resilience and Disaster Recovery Reference Group, to be chaired by Cr Peter Epov, with Cr Paul Sandliands and Cr Dheera Smith as Councillor representatives. It was also agreed to discontinue the Manning River Estuary Coastal Management Program Reference Group and MidCoast Cultural Plan 2036 Reference Group as the projects they were established for have finished. A review will be undertaken on the Economic Development Working Group, the Barrington Coast Destination Management Reference Group and the Sport and Recreation Reference Group, and a Manning River Estuary Coastal Management Group to look at how they can be restructured to achieve improved community outcomes. A report to a future meeting will investigate opportunities for an Arts and Cultural Reference Group, Youth Reference Group, Biodiversity and Climate Action Reference Group and Aboriginal Liaison Reference Group. A further report will also be provided to look at a proposal to trial two new reference groups – a Southern Area Reference Group and South Western Area Reference Group - and how this model could be applied across the whole local government area.
Taree Universities Campus Grant	The meeting was advised of the successful grant application for funding to support the Taree University Campus to relocate to the former Council premises in Pulteney Street Taree. The $5.5 million will be received over a three-year period and will provide a 25-year lease to the Taree Universities Campus. The funding includes an allocation to make the building fit-for-purpose.

For full details of all reports please see the agenda for the meeting which can be found here.