ANOTHER report that you can take to bed and read to aid in your efforts to go to sleep! The one thing that you can count on as mayor is that you are never bored and that you never run out of things to read.
The Community Strategic Plan, which is about to go out on public exhibition, is a prime example. This plan is council’s primary planning document and reviewed at the beginning of each new council period. Council has been conducting a series of community consultations and surveys about the important things for council to achieve over the next 10 years. Those aspirations have now been compiled and will be on public exhibition for response.
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COUNCIL has resolved to apply for a Special Rate Variation of 4.6 per cent per annum over the next 10 years which is about 2.8 per cent annually above the normal rate pegging percentage each year. Council received overwhelming support for this during the Fit For the Future Program to increase our own source revenue from our about 30 per cent up to the government’s target of 60 per cent.
This was a vital component of receiving a satisfactory outcome from IPART which assessed us as being fit to remain independent as a rural based council. Now that we have survived the merger scare, it is our responsibility to ensure we follow the Improvement Plan agreed on with the NSW government.
If successful, the variation will apply from July 2017.
The additional income generated will be applied to flood mitigation, road repairs following the wet winter, and refurbishment of swimming pools at Lockhart and The Rock.
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COUNCIL has embraced the idea of reusing viable sheds and structures which may be of use elsewhere in our shire. Some sheds have become available from premises purchased by council under the "Voluntary Purchase Scheme" section of our flood mitigation grants and if available they may be suitable to enhance facilities at sporting venues or clubs.
Talking of flood issues, tenders are about to be called for the construction of mitigation works for Lockhart and to be followed by works at The Rock when grant funds become available.
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I HAD the pleasure of performing a naturalisation ceremony for a Naveen Maddhu and his daughter Nysa from The Rock. Mr Maddhu and his family are from India but have now settled in Australia and are now dinkum Aussies! Well done.
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YOU probably haven't read this last bit as you are now asleep, but when you wake, finish reading it and then I will be content that you are now fully informed.
