SWR subdivisions, flood plans, EV fees and more at Council.
Published on 16 July 2024
A revenue task force, plans for crown land reserves, new residential subdivision in South West Rocks, the public exhibition of the Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan, new fees for using Council-owned electric vehicle chargers, and the cancellation of the September Council meeting due to Local Government elections were on the agenda for the July Council meeting.
Plaques for community assets
The Mayor and the General Manager will have the power to appropriately recognise completed projects using signs or plaques. Each plaque or sign would acknowledge the opening date, project funding amounts and sources, name/s of State and/or Federal members who were at the opening, names of elected Mayor and all Councillors, and the committee would also decide on the appropriate wording and other content.
A register of installed sign or plaques with date, location and text will also be created so that records can be maintained.
Residential subdivision planning proposal for South West Rocks
A planning proposal for a 23.97 hectare residential subdivision on Arakoon Road, South West Rocks will be sent to the Minister for Planning and Public Spaces for gateway consideration. An amendment was made to the original recommendation asking Council staff to work with the consultant to improve the Aboriginal heritage report to meet contemporary standards, community and First Nations people expectations.
Councillors discussed their concerns with the proposed development and the associated documents, including run off and stormwater drainage from the site, an unsatisfactory Aboriginal heritage report, the site's location in a koala zone, and other matters before eventually voting in favour of the recommendation.
The proposal suggests a series of changes to land zonings, lot size, and building heights for the area in question, located at 157 Arakoon Road. As part of that process, Council needs written authorisation from the Minister to make the changes.
If the Minister approves the gateway determination, the next step will be to undertake community consultation on the proposed changes, including a 28-day exhibition period, which will then be referred back to Council to consider any submissions received, before making any amendments to the Local Environmental Plan.
For more information on this planning proposal, please see the Business Papers on the website.
Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan to go on exhibition
The Draft Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan has been completed and will go on public exhibition. Council also voted to approve the recommendation from the Flood Risk Reference Group that an ongoing flood risk management committee be formed, which meets at least once a year.
The Flood Risk Management Study and Plan identifies key actions to reduce the flood risk for the Lower Macleay floodplain, mainly planning and engineering solutions, using detailed modelling to reduce the flood impacts on the community, understand where the evacuation constraints are, and create a single, unified model for the area. The group met several times to discuss the flood study and assess available options, and their comments and recommendations were used to shape the options that were chosen. There was also a community workshop and survey which were used gain feedback on the options.
The Study and Plan will soon be on public exhibition, able to be accessed via our Your Say Macleay page.
New fee for charging electric cars at Council-owned charging stations
The community can provide feedback on the proposed fees and charges for Council electric vehicle charging stations after Councillors decided to place the proposed electric vehicle charging fees on public exhibition.
Under the proposal, users will be charged at a rate of $0.25/kW which works out on average to cost about $15 to charge a 60kW battery from empty to full. These proposed fees are comparable to the Australian average for publicly available EV charging stations. The proposed charges will help cover the energy costs, as well as the costs of the online charging and monitoring platform which runs the EV chargers.
Discussion included the price of EV charging in adjacent Councils, the cost of providing EV chargers, and who is best placed to provide EV charging.
Currently, Council has two EV chargers - one at the Slim Dusty Centre and the other near the amenities at Back Creek, South West Rocks.
September Council meeting cancelled
The September Council meeting has been cancelled due to the upcoming Local Government elections on 14 September 2024, which falls just three days before the scheduled meeting.
With the outcome not expected to be known until the first week of October, and with the existing Councillors stepping down from their positions from the day of the elections, there will not be an elected Council on the day of the meeting.
Statement of Management intent for Crown Land reserves
Crown Land reserves will benefit from some extra guidance and protection of their natural and cultural values, with Council staff asked to prepare a list of priority reserves, due in February 2025 as well as a statement of management intent (a 5-10 page document which outlines the context, management objectives, reserve values, management issues and actions).
Council also noted that many reserves have volunteer organisations working to take care of the land, and that they could work in partnership with these groups to help prepare the plans.
Revenue Taskforce
The framework for a potential revenue taskforce, which would identify additional ways of generating increased revenue to support the financial sustainability of the Shire, will be drawn up by staff and brought back to the October meeting for consideration by Council.
While Council is already implementing a program of continuous improvement in its business operations, exploring cost savings and improving productivity, the taskforce will focus on identifying additional ways of generating increased revenue would also be of benefit.
Order of Business to be considered in open session
10.1. Planning Proposal - 154 Arakoon Road, South West Rocks - PP-2024-829
10.2. Exhibition - Lower Macleay Flood Risk Management Study and Plan
10.3. Electric Vehicle Charging Fees and Charges
10.4. Council Meeting Dates
10.5. Central Kempsey WWTP Project Update
10.6. Development Activity and LEP Variations - Quarterly Snapshot
10.7. Statement of Cash and Investments - June 2024
11.1. Notice of Motion - Statement of Management Intent for Crown Land Reserves
11.2. Notice of Motion - Revenue Task Force
11.3. Delegates Report - Road Congress - Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia
11.4. Delegates Report - Country Mayors Association Conference Kempsey
12.1. Legal Matters
12.2. Confidential Mayoral Minute - General Manager's Annual Performance Review
More information
You can read the detailed agenda and reports in the business papers.
You can view the meeting on Council's YouTube page.