Cr Tim Overall, Mayor
Welcome to my column for the Jerrabomberra Residents Association Website. It is my hope to keep you abreast of issues and initiatives Queanbeyan City Council is undertaking which I trust will be of interest to you as readers.
Would you like to ask a question of one of the candidates for the forthcoming Federal election? If so, then come along to the Meet the Candidates night on Tuesday 10 August at 7pm at The Q in the Lowe St carpark. The Meet the Candidates night will be one of the last chances residents will have to hear publicly from the three local candidates and put forward questions before polling day on Saturday 21 August. Earlier this week Council appointed Dr Norman Abjorensen from the Crawford School of Economics and Governance, ANU to act as the external moderator for the Meet the Candidates night. Dr Abjorensen is a long-time Queanbeyan resident, a well known political commentator and was previously editor of The Sydney Morning Herald. Residents of Queanbeyan and the wider area are invited to attend the Meet the Candidates night. No tickets necessary nor is there reserved seating.
Community facilities to benefit from funding
At its meeting on Wednesday night, Council agreed to submit an application for five projects which will be funded under the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program (RLCIP). Council received $311,000 in round three of the program and will apply to the Federal government to spend those funds on the following projects:
• Jerrabomberra Tennis Club: Resurfacing of two old courts, construction of two new courts and improved club and public facilities. (Funding $130,000 RLCIP, club to contribute $40,000 and $50,000 interest free loan from Council)
• Queanbeyan Park: First stage of power upgrade to enhance community events. ($28,000 RLCIP)
• Riverside Oval: Improve spectator viewing facilities, improve player and public safety and enhance club facilities. ($85,000 RLCIP)
• Queanbeyan Museum: Ongoing works on the Museum will include landscaping, front fence and interpretive signage. ($10,000 RLCIP)
• Freebody Oval: Provide basic facilities to provide shelter and amenities for the clubs utilising Freebody Oval. ($58,000 RLCIP and $40,000 Section 94 Plan allocation)
Applications by councils for specific project funding are to be lodged by today. The community will be made aware of the outcome when Council is informed.
Activities galore during Local Government Week
Council, along with councils across Australia, will celebrate Local Government Week from 1-8 August. The official opening will be held on Tuesday at 10.30am at the Visitors Information Centre and will also be attended by the Federal Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts, the Hon Peter Garrett who will launch the newly completed Government funded Heritage restoration works. Another highlight of Local Government Week will be the presentation of the Council Art Award on Tuesday night. Council has received a number of high-quality entries again this year and we will have talented Queanbeyan artist Mel George on hand to judge the prize. There is plenty happening around Queanbeyan this Local Government Week and the program can be downloaded from our website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au or you can get a copy from our Customer Service Centre or Library, both at 257 Crawford St.
23 July Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Queanbeyan City Council will give residents the chance to ask questions of candidates for the forthcoming Federal election when it hosts a Meet the Candidates night on Tuesday 10 August 2010 at 7pm at The Q. The Meet the Candidates night will give residents an opportunity to hear from the candidates in regard to their priorities for Queanbeyan/Jerrabomberra and also ask them questions concerning the seat of Eden-Monaro. Currently three candidates have nominated for the seat of Eden- Monaro and they are:
• Current member for Eden-Monaro, the Hon Dr Mike Kelly (Labor);
• Mr David Gazard (Liberal), and;
• Ms Catherine Moore (Greens)
Should any other candidates come forward before 10 August they will also be invited. Traditionally, the seat of Eden-Monaro has been one of the most important seats in Federal politics, and the statistics back that up. Since 1972 Eden-Monaro has been a bellwether seat having been held by the government of the day. The party which has won the seat of Eden-Monaro has gone on to win the election. We will be securing an external moderator for the Meet the Candidates night which will be held in the 340-seat theatre at The Q, located behind the Council Chambers in the Lowe St carpark. Council will make an announcement regarding an external moderator in the near future. Residents are encouraged to come along to The Q and meet their candidates on the night.
Road improvements a priority for Council
With the Federal election being called last weekend, I would like to reiterate Council’s priorities which we have raised with the local candidates. Council’s focus is firmly on undertaking critical upgrades to the city’s road network for the longer term and undertaking the initial work for a regional sports precinct. Council’s community priorities for the election are:
1. Government funding support of $4 million over the four-year period 2011-2014 to permit:
• Design, environmental work and approvals for the following road works;
- Ellerton Drive (Ring Road) Extension
- Old Cooma Road (further stages)
- Dunns Creek Road, and
- 13 Intersection upgrades.
• Additional feasibility work for the Northern Bypass option
2. Government funding of $300,000 for community engagement and concept design work for a regional sports precinct
Christmas in July Markets this Sunday
Council will host the Christmas in July Markets this Sunday, 25 July. The markets will be held in the Queanbeyan Conference Centre, 253 Crawford St between 11am and 3pm. There will be plenty to see, do and taste during the markets with over 40 stalls and a live performance by “the man in black” Queanbeyan entertainer Counterfeit Cash – a Johnny Cash impersonator. Stall items will include collectables, antiques, locally made arts and crafts and much more. So come along to the Conference Centre on Sunday – I hope to see you all there.
16 July Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Queanbeyan City Council will place a draft Development Control Plan (DCP) for the new town of Googong on public display from Tuesday 20 July 2010. The draft plan will be on public display for 28 days and will give interested parties the opportunity to view the document and make comment on it before a report is prepared for a future Council meeting. The draft DCP of introduces the following:
• the context for how development will occur at Googong and explains the Googong Master Plan,
• requirements for the preparation of Neighbourhood Structure Plans, and
• guidelines and standards for development at Googong.
Council contracted Place Design Group to prepare a draft document which was developed after considerable consultation with relevant internal sections of Council and was reviewed on a number of occasions. The draft DCP also includes consideration of substantive material as well as recommendations by CIC Australia, which controls the majority of Googong. The draft plan will be on public exhibition at Council’s Environmental Services/Strategic Development Sections’ display area on the first level of 257 Crawford Street Queanbeyan and the Queanbeyan Library from 8.30am to 4.30pm weekdays from 20 July 2010. Submissions will be accepted until 20 August 2010.
Work commences on Indoor Sports Centre
Residents travelling along Yass Rd over the past week would have noticed the fence which has been erected in the corner of Taylor Park. Within the boundaries of this fence, the Queanbeyan Indoor Sports Centre will be constructed. Queanbeyan has been waiting a long time to get its own dedicated Indoor Sports Centre and it’s pleasing to see work has commenced on the site. Council expects the construction to take around nine months, allowing for a March/April 2011 opening. Council received $2.4 million in funding under the Federal Government’s Regional and Community Infrastructure Program/Strategic Projects for the centre.
Chance to get rid of unwanted chemicals
Council will be holding a Household Chemical Cleanout tomorrow, Saturday 17 July between 8am and 2pm in the Collett St carpark. This will give residents the opportunity to properly dispose of chemicals which have built up around the house and shed. So have a look deep into the backs of those kitchen and laundry cupboards, clear out the sheds and maybe even check under the house for all the unused or disregarded paints, oils, and chemicals. Even those interesting bottles, cans and tubes of things you can't remember what they contained or why you even bought them but they just look dodgy, gather them up put them all in a box and take them to the Collett St carpark on Saturday between 8am and 2pm. This service is only available to Queanbeyan residents living in the residential area and is not available for commercial operations.
9 July Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Queanbeyan City Council received notification from the Minister Local Government last week that our application for a Special Rate Variation of 5.8% was successful. The approval follows extensive consultation with the community and it will allow Council to raise an extra $1.04 million per year for the next three years to spend on the CityCARE project. The CityCARE project will see all funds raised under the Special Rate Variation spent on the maintenance of the city’s roads, footpaths and parks and sportsfields. It’s never easy asking the community to pay more rates, however I believe this project will benefit the community in the future. Had Council not acted to alleviate this shortfall in maintenance funding, the bill in the future would have been much higher. The 5.8% increase means the average residential rates bill in Queanbeyan will increase by around $51.63 a year or 99 cents a week. Council has developed a three-year works program and work in the 2010/2011 financial year will total $978,000 and will include:
• Bitumen resealing of local roads - $140,000
• Pavement rehabilitation of local roads - $360,000
• Footpath repairs - $178,000
• Upgrade of playground at Queanbeyan Park - $110,000
• Upgrade of amenities at Steve Mauger Park - $75,000
• Stabilise and level playing surfaces at Wright Park - $50,000
• Upgrade water supply at Queanbeyan Showground - $50,000
• Upgrade softfall at Stockyard Creek Park - $15,000
The Council is very much aware that the introduction of a Special Rate Variation will have an impact on households and has previously agreed to introduce measures to assist the more vulnerable within the community. Council will be introducing an additional rebate for pensioners which will be set at a maximum of $40 per year for those whose rates have risen and who are eligible to receive the NSW Pensioner Rebate. This rebate will be worth about $70,000 per annum.
Reduced price microchipping at Pound
The Queanbeyan Pound will be offering reduced price microchipping at the pound this Saturday, 10 July between 10am and 2pm. Residents can microchip their dog or cat for $15, a saving of $31 on the regular price. Residents should be aware that all cats and dogs in NSW must be microchipped and penalties do apply for non-compliance. Pet owners who attend the microchipping day are advised that all dogs must be on a lead, all cats must be in a carry basket, animals must be accompanied by an adult (18+) and aggressive animals will not be processed. For further information contact Queanbeyan City Council Pound on 6298 0269.
Defibrillator at Jerrabomberra Shopping Centre
Next Wednesday I will be officially unveiling a new public access defibrillator at the Jerrabomberra Village Shopping Centre. The defibrillator was donated to the shopping centre by the Jerrabomberra Rotary Club and will provide residents and visitors to the centre with an immediate response capability in the event of sudden cardiac arrest. I congratulate the Jerrabomberra Rotary Club, St John Ambulance and the management of the Jerrabomberra Village Shopping Centre and encourage other major shopping centres in Queanbeyan to consider installing similar devices.
2 July Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Queanbeyan City Council received confirmation last week that funding had been approved for the construction of the Queanbeyan Indoor Sports Centre in Taylor Park. There had been a slight delay with the approval as an adjustment had to be made to the project. Due to costs exceeding the budget, the Indoor Sports Centre’s plans were altered from a three-court centre to two courts. Council has already appointed a contractor to undertake construction and they expect to commence work next week. Council anticipates the construction will take about nine months which will allow us to have the centre up and running by March-April 2011. The Queanbeyan community has been asking for an Indoor Sports Centre for some time and they will finally get their wish. The indoor sports complex will comprise of two multi-purpose indoor sports courts, spectator viewing areas and a kiosk with outdoor seating. The foyer of the complex will become the new home of the Queanbeyan Sporting Hall of Fame which currently resides in the Queanbeyan Conference Centre. Carpaking for 38 vehicles will be provided. The Indoor Sports Centre was funded by the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program.
Council’s first Public Forum
Next Wednesday, 7 July, Council will hold its first Public Forum at the Council Chambers from 5.30pm to 6pm. A six-month trial of Public Forums will be conducted, and they are to be held on the first Wednesday of each month in the Council Chambers at 253 Crawford St Queanbeyan. Council believes members of the public should be able to ask questions of Council and these new Forums will allow that to occur on a monthly basis. The previous arrangements of allowing question time at a Council meeting often meant that members of the public had to wait until the Council meeting was over or until 8pm and this was not possible for many in the community. Residents wishing to take part in the Forums must submit their questions in writing to the General Manager’s Office or email to by 5pm on the Monday preceding the Public Forum. Question forms can be obtained from the General Manager’s Office at 253 Crawford St, from Council’s website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au or by contacting Margi Simonovski on 6298 0223. Members of the community wishing to put forward a question, other than in a Public Forum, can of course continue to do so at any time via email , by telephone 6299 6000, or by contacting the Mayor or a Councillor.
Home in Queanbeyan opens its doors
Years of fundraising, planning and hard work was rewarded yesterday when Home in Queanbeyan was officially opened. Home in Queanbeyan is a community-based response to provide a home for people with chronic mental illness who struggle to live independently. I would like to congratulate the Board of Home in Queanbeyan in achieving this facility which now serves as a model for other communities across Australia in supporting some of the most vulnerable in “the lucky country” – but not so lucky for some.
25 June Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
At Wednesday night’s meeting, Queanbeyan City Council agreed to develop two reports regarding the Crawford St area. The first report will focus on the Crawford St Lifestyle Precinct which is expected to be complete by 2011/12. It will include information on the estimated costs, funding strategy and tendering time frame of the project. The report will also look at the proposed timing of any surplus property dispositions deemed necessary to contribute to the cash component of the funding. The second report will focus on the Queanbeyan Bus Interchange and will include site suitability of the Morisset Street/Crawford Street Interchange both currently and in the future; student and passenger demand given projected population growth; the impacts of the planned Crawford Street Lifestyle Precinct development; site options for relocation of the Interchange; and the appropriateness or otherwise, of relocating the Bus Interchange to a new permanent, or temporary site (as a trial), in advance of and during construction of the Crawford Street Lifestyle Precinct. Also, a long-term plan will be developed for the Queanbeyan City Council/Queanbeyan Arts Society building in Trinculo Place.
Funding for community projects
Last week I attended the 3rd Australian Council of Local Government (ACLG) at Parliament House, Canberra. At the meeting the then Prime Minister, The Hon Kevin Rudd, MP announced that $100 million would be provided for the third round of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program. Queanbeyan has benefited greatly from this program previously and has received a further $313,000. Council will discuss options for the funding in the near future.
Riverside Café application approved
On Wednesday Council approved a development application for the construction of a Riverside Café/Kiosk on the banks of the Queanbeyan River. The Café will be located adjacent to the Queanbeyan Art Gallery and will help direct the community’s attention to one of our most prized assets – the river. Council will be calling for Expressions of Interests from suitable people to operate the Café. Council will be seeking an operator as soon as possible with advertising to commence next week. We are seeking an operator who can not only run a good café, but can also work with the Council and others to promote and encourage further activities in the area.
Chance to ask Council questions
Queanbeyan residents will get the chance to ask questions of Queanbeyan City Council in a public forum on a monthly basis after a policy was adopted at Council’s meeting on 23 June. A six-month trial of the forums will be conducted. The forums will be held between 5.30pm and 6pm on the first Wednesday of each month with the first to be held on Wednesday 7 July 2010. Questions submitted to the public forum are to be in writing and submitted to the General Manager’s Office on the Monday preceding. This will allow two days to consider and investigate an appropriate response. If there is insufficient time to formulate a response, because of the nature of the question then the matter will be held over to the next public forum.
18 June Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
During the week I attended the National General Assembly (NGA) of Local Government which is the annual general meeting of the Australian Local Government Association, and today I attend the Australian Council of Local Government Meeting at Parliament House Canberra. The focus of the NGA was Australia’s population growth and the impact on the financial ability of councils to not only provide new infrastructure but to maintain existing infrastructure assets to a reasonable standard. I welcome the Australian Local Government Association’s initiatives including the call for:
- The establishment of a Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into the adequacy of local government revenue.
- The continuation of Federal funding for the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program.
- Local Government to be an equal partner with the Commonwealth in the planning and delivery of mutually agreed national outcomes which also prevents cost-shifting on to local councils by State and Federal jurisdictions.
- Support for a referendum to recognise local government in the Australian Constitution – also aimed at removing the uncertainty about the capacity of the Commonwealth to provide direct funding to local government.
Draft Integrated Plans submissions
Council held a workshop on Wednesday night to allow residents who made a submission on the Draft Integrated Plans to make a presentation to the Council. Council received 16 submissions on the Draft Integrated Plans and all of those submitters were invited to attend Wednesday’s workshop. These submissions covered a number of aspects of the Draft Integrated Plans. Councillors will give the submissions thought over the next week before the Draft Integrated Plans are adopted by Council at next Wednesday’s Ordinary Council meeting. I thank those residents who made submissions on the Draft Integrated Plans and look forward to hearing their thoughts in the Council’s plans in the future. Following next Wednesday’s meeting the adopted plans will be available for the community on the Council’s website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au or at Council’s Customer Service Centre at 257 Crawford St, Queanbeyan.
Special Rate Variation update
Council is still waiting for news from the Minister of Local Government regarding our application for a Special Rate Variation. It is anticipated that Council will be informed of the Minister’s decision sometime in July. If approved the CityCARE levy will allow Council to raise the rating base by 5.8% above the capped amount set by the Minister. This will add about $1.02 million to Council’s rating income for the 2010-2011 financial year. These funds will be exclusively dedicated to maintenance and renewal of Council’s roads, footpaths and parks and sports fields. As soon as the Minister hands down his decision on our Special Rate Variation application I will let you know through this column and other media organisations.
Get in your Sister City application
Time is running out for residents to nominate to take part in Queanbeyan’s Sister City Exchange with Minami Alps in Japan. The exchange will occur in October and we require 10-13 children aged between 14 and 17 and 2-3 chaperones. Applications close on 30 June and more information can be obtained from Council’s website or by contacting Melissa Walker on 6285 6283.
11 June Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
There were a number of positives for Queanbeyan in the NSW Budget which was handed down on Tuesday. Transport, health, education and construction industries have benefited from the budget as indicated below.
$20 million for Queanbeyan projects
The budget provided more than $20 million in funding for projects in the Queanbeyan Local Government Area. This funding will be directed mainly towards three of the most important areas of any growing city – transport, health and education. Queanbeyan received further funding allocations for the following projects:
• $2.9 million for the upgrade of the Queanbeyan TAFE.
• $5 million to build a noise wall on Canberra Avenue in Queanbeyan.
• $6.7 million for Kings Highway improvements between Queanbeyan and Bungendore.
• $3.8 million for the duplication of Lanyon Drive from Tompsitt Drive to ACT border.
• $817,000 for the provision of renal services at the Queanbeyan Hospital.
• $900,000 to provide disabled access for jurors and upgrade the court registry at the Queanbeyan Court House.
• Funding allocations for the upgrade of Jerrabomberra Public School and Karabar High School. Both projects have already commenced.
Council has welcomed the inclusion of this funding and looks forward to seeing the important works to the Kings Highway and Lanyon Drive completed.
Cutting back stamp duty
One of the major announcements in the budget was the two year abolition of stamp duty for homes worth less than $600,000 purchased off-the-plan, saving home buyers up to $22,490. The same cut applies for over-65s who downsize to a newly built home worth less than $600,000. For other buyers of new homes already under construction or newly completed and worth up to $600,000, there will be a stamp duty cut of 25 per cent, worth up to $5623. It is anticipated that this initiative will be a boost to the local housing construction industry, help reduce construction lead times and bring forward a number of projects in Queanbeyan. For this year there are approximately 200 houses or units on the “off-the-plan” market in Queanbeyan and we expect that number to increase to around 500 over the next two years or so due to further inner-city residential developments and the first stage of the Googong new town development. It was announced that this initiative would be in place for two years, however I believe that future governments will find it difficult to reinstate stamp duty charges to previous levels.
Seeking funding for transport network
The NSW Government announced a surplus budget of $101 million for 2009-2010. Council will be seeking funding for environmental and design works for critical improvements to Queanbeyan’s traffic network including the Ellerton Drive Ring Road Extension and the Dunns Creek Rd. The Ellerton Drive Ring Road Extension was identified in the Googong and Tralee Traffic Study (2031) which was developed last year to determine what improvements must be made to the Queanbeyan traffic network to cope with the expected population rise this city will experience over the next 20 years.
4 June Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Contractors working on behalf of Queanbeyan City Council have commenced tree clearing along the Edwin Land Parkway corridor. Tree clearing commenced on Monday 31 May at the Jerrabomberra end of the extension and is expected to take four weeks to complete. The clearing will take place with an ecologist on-site initially to ensure that any potential habitats are clear before they are destroyed. Construction of the road itself is also nearing, with Council waiting for final documentation from consultants. When this documentation is received it will allow Council to begin preparing tender documents. It is anticipated that the project will be placed out for tender in the very near future. As more information comes to hand on the extension I will pass it on to residents through this column.
Council joins up with SEROC
Council has become a member of the South East Region of Councils (SEROC). SEROC gives Councils located within ‘H Division’ one voice for the region and the ability to take advantage of group purchasing advantages and to provide a consistent framework to advance local government locally. Council agreed at its meeting on 26 May to make $27,120 available in the 2010-2011 budget for membership and that the Mayor and General Manager sign a Memorandum of Understanding. Other SEROC members include Eurobodalla, Bombala, Boorowa, Cooma-Monaro, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Harden, Palerang, Snowy River, Upper Lachlan, Yass Valley and Young. The only ‘H Division’ council which has not become a member is Bega Valley. It is proposed that the ACT Government will be invited to join SEROC, but their membership is yet to be determined. The Mayor and General Manager of each member council are voting members of the committee.
Queanbeyan embraces reconciliation
It was very pleasing to see such a good crowd take part in the Reconciliation Walk and official opening of the Reconciliation Garden on Tuesday. The Queanbeyan community and our local schools have always embraced the Reconciliation Walk and Tuesday’s event was definitely no different. More than 1000 students and residents walked from the Queens Bridge up Monaro St to Queanbeyan Park where the garden was officially opened. Queanbeyan’s schools played a big part in the design and planting of the Reconciliation Garden and it provides the community with a permanent reminder of the importance of reconciliation.
Applications open for Heritage Grants
Council is now taking applications for its Heritage Assistant Grant which provides dollar for dollar assistance for work on heritage buildings within the city. The aim of the project is to encourage as much positive work on heritage items as possible. There are some amazing heritage properties around Queanbeyan and the community has shown an interest in preserving the heritage of these buildings. The grant is funded by Council and the NSW Heritage Office. The grant amounts will vary and the maximum amount will be determined by the number of applications received. Application forms are available from Council’s Environmental Services Section Counter, 1st floor, 257 Crawford Street and also at the Strategic Planning Section, Level 1/12 Rutledge Street, Queanbeyan. Forms can also be downloaded from Council’s website http://www.qcc.nsw.gov.au/page.aspx?page=90. Applications must be lodged with Queanbeyan City Council no later than Friday 30 July 2010. For more information phone Council’s Strategic Development Section on 6298 0276.
28 May Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Legal proceedings concerning Queanbeyan City Council’s challenge on the validity of two levies imposed by the ACT Government (the Water Abstraction Charge (WAC) and the Utilities Network Facilities Tax (UNFT)) continued on 24 and 25 May with the Federal Court of Australia Full Bench hearing the appeal and cross-appeal. Court proceedings commenced in November 2007 and on 24 August 2009 the Federal Court Judge upheld Council’s challenge to the UNFT but rejected the challenge to the WAC. Both matters are the subject of appeal and cross-appeal and it will be some months before a decision is handed down.
Positive feedback for Lifestyle Precinct
Council will begin to prepare tender documents for the construction of the Crawford St Lifestyle Precinct. Council received a report at Wednesday night’s meeting regarding the public consultation phase of the project. Council received seven submissions on the Lifestyle Precinct with all in favour of the development. This positive response shows that the community understands that work needs to be undertaken on the city’s CBD. The Lifestyle Precinct will considerably liven up the section of Crawford St between Monaro and Morisset Sts and attract business back to the area. The adopted design raises the overall street level, eliminating kerbs and the mid-street planter that currently restricts pedestrian access. Two-way traffic will be moved to the centre of the street, widening paths and retaining existing levels of parking. Pedestrians will be able to move freely throughout the precinct and vehicle traffic will be controlled by bollards. The objective of the project is to design an open, inviting, pedestrian-friendly streetscape suitable for alfresco dining, public art, entertainment and other community activities.
Draft Plan submissions close today
Residents are reminded that submissions on Council’s Draft Integrated Plans for 2010-2011 close at 4pm today, Friday 28 May. The Draft Integrated Plans include the Operational Plan 2010-2011, Schedule of Fees and Charges 2010-2011, Delivery Program 2010-2013 and the Community Strategic Plan 2010-2020. Residents have had a month to look over the four documents and put forward submissions to Council. Council will consider the submissions in the coming weeks and will adopt the final plans at its Council meeting on 23 June.
Celebrate Reconciliation Week this Tuesday
Queanbeyan will celebrate Reconciliation Week on Tuesday 1 June when the annual community walk is held. This year’s celebrations will be enhanced by the official opening of the Reconciliation Garden which has been planted in Queanbeyan Park. The community walk has been well attended in the past and I hope that high level of participation continues on Tuesday. Those taking part in the walk must meet under the Queens Bridge in Trinculo Place at 10.15am. Community elders and Queanbeyan councillors will lead the walk up Monaro St to the Reconciliation Garden in Queanbeyan Park, near the sunken garden area. Residents are also encouraged to line Monaro St and cheer on those walking. Following the walk, a ceremony will be held to officially open the gardens, which will be followed by a barbecue in the park.
21 May Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
The Queanbeyan Visitor Information Centre and Business Enterprise Centre at 1 Farrer Place will be closed for one week from Monday 24 May to allow for asbestos shingle roofing to be replaced with roofing slates. The building is expected to be reopened on Monday 31 May following the removal of the asbestos. Work is expected to continue on the building for three weeks, weather permitting, as roofing slates are installed. In 2009 Queanbeyan City Council had an Asbestos Audit undertaken and it noted that the tiles on the building in Farrer Place did not constitute a health risk to those occupying or visiting the building but their replacement would require the tiles to be disturbed which in turn would require special mitigation measures to be put in place while work is undertaken. Council received $95,270 under the Federal Government’s Heritage Stimulus Project to assist with the removal and replacement of the roof tiles.
New child care centre for Queanbeyan
Council approved a development application for a new child care centre at its Planning and Development Review Committee meeting last Wednesday. The new centre will provide an extra 48 places and will be located within the boundaries of South Queanbeyan Primary School, facing on to Alanbar St, Karabar. The Federal Government provided $1.6 million for the construction of the centre and the NSW Government has contributed the school land. The Federal Government recognised Queanbeyan as an area which needed an increase in child care places and this development is a great result for Queanbeyan parents. The child care centre will be operated by a private provider, KU Children’s Services. The building will include reception, administration and staff amenity facilities; three indoor playrooms; and kitchen and toilet facilities. Two outdoor play areas will be provided along with outdoor landscaping works. A total of 12 car parks will be provided, with one of those being for disabled commuters. The development will provide a number of employment opportunities, firstly with the construction and when complete 13 child care positions will become available, including four part-time staff.
Mark does it again
Mark Webber did it again on Sunday night. Queanbeyan’s Formula 1 star won his second consecutive Grand Prix and in doing so jumped to the top of the Drivers’ Championship. Mark has described his victory in the Monaco Grand Prix as the greatest moment of his life and on behalf of Queanbeyan I would like to congratulate Mark on another amazing result. Mark now has a weekend off before he contests the Turkish Grand Prix in Istanbul on 30 May.
Apply now for community project funding
Applications for Council’s Community Development and Support Expenditure (CDSE) Scheme close today, 21 May. The scheme allows registered clubs with annual gaming machine revenue exceeding $1 million to apply 1.5% of their gaming machine revenue to specific community development and support projects. Community organisations have until today to apply for funding towards local community service projects through the Community scheme. Application forms and further information is available at www.clubsnsw.com.au or by contacting Philippa Moss, Convenor of the Queanbeyan CDSE Committee on 6298 0202.
14 May Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Construction of the Edwin Land Parkway extension is a step closer after Queanbeyan City Council received approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 earlier this week. This means that Council now has all of the approvals needed to commence construction. Council will now submit a Contractor’s Environmental Management Plan to the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts which will permit tree clearing and construction to commence. Council has engaged a tree clearing contractor who is ready to begin work and residents adjoining the road have been notified of the impending tree clearing. Council expects to obtain the final detailed design plans from design consultants GHD soon. An information report will be provided to the June meeting of Council advising of plans to put the project out for tender. Information regarding the commencement date and a construction timetable will be clearer after the tender is awarded. This vital 2.3km extension has been a long time coming and will provide Jerrabomberra and Karabar residents with an alternate route in and out of their suburb.
Community meeting on Draft Integrated Plans
Council will hold its second and final community meeting regarding the Draft Integrated Plans for 2010-2011 on Tuesday 18 May 2010. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers at 253 Crawford St and will begin at 6pm. All Queanbeyan residents are invited to attend the meeting. The first community meeting about the Draft Integrated Plans was held last Tuesday at Fernleigh Park and it was pleasing to see such a good attendance. Residents are reminded that they can make comment on the plans until Friday 28 May 2010. Copies of the Draft Plans are available at the Customer Service Centre and the Queanbeyan Library, both at 257 Crawford St or may be downloaded from Council’s website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au. Submissions can be forwarded to the General Manager, Queanbeyan City Council, PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 and be marked ‘Draft Integrated Plans Submission’ or emailed to
Carers recognised for efforts
Queanbeyan is blessed to have such a dedicated group of carers and last night the Queanbeyan Family Day Care Carers’ Presentation Evening took place. Awards were presented to registered carers who were recognised for the service they have provided to Queanbeyan Family Day Care and the community. Some of the carers have been involved with the scheme for an incredible 28 years and I would like to congratulate all of the award recipients.
Mark gets back to winning ways
Congratulations to Queanbeyan’s Formula 1 driver Mark Webber who recorded his first win of the 2010 season on Sunday night. Mark was at his best as he blew away the field in the Spanish Grand Prix to win by 24 seconds. The victory shot Mark up to fourth in the Drivers’ Championship and has given him a golden chance to better his fourth-placed finish in last year’s Championship. I would like to congratulate Mark on his performance and wish him the best of luck for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
7 May Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
There was some good news for Queanbeyan in the 2010-2011 ACT Budget with $8.2 million included for new bus priority measures along Canberra Avenue. This funding will be spread over the next four years, with $200,000 allocated for the next financial year. This is a very pleasing result for Queanbeyan and has come on the back of quarterly meetings between myself and ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope regarding transport links between Canberra and Queanbeyan. Following design work, bus priority measures will be constructed to facilitate faster and more reliable travel times on the City to Queanbeyan route. This project will also investigate on-road cycle lane options and the possibility of a major bus station in east Fyshwick, along with park and ride facilities. This is great news for residents of Queanbeyan and those in the ACT who commute to our city on a regular basis. At the moment around 20,000 vehicles use Canberra Avenue daily and with out population expected to almost double by 2031 that number is only going to increase. This factor makes early planning and the partnership Queanbeyan has formed with the ACT all the more important.
Canberra-Queanbeyan transport taskforce
At the latest meeting between myself and Mr Stanhope, which was also attended by NSW Member for Monaro Steve Whan MP, it was agreed that a Canberra-Queanbeyan transport taskforce would be established to look at ways to improve transport links between the two cities. The Transport Eastern Regional Taskforce is expected to operate for the next three years and include representatives from the ACT and NSW Governments, regional planning advisers, and transport planning and regulation representatives. The establishment of a transport taskforce is a positive move forward and will allow representatives from Canberra and Queanbeyan to work together to ensure the traffic network meets the transport needs of residents. Council is well advanced in planning to ensure Queanbeyan’s road network can perform with the increased traffic flow that will come from the population rise. Last year Council adopted the Googong and Tralee Traffic Study (2031) and has now resolved to seek funding of $4m as a priority for the forthcoming Federal and State elections to undertake design work and environmental studies for the Ellerton Drive Extension, Old Cooma Rd intersection improvements, the Dunns Creek Rd and further feasibility work on a possible Northern by-pass. Additionally, a broader Queanbeyan Transport Strategy will be developed.
Participate in Sister City exchange
Council is calling for applications from Queanbeyan students and residents interested in participating in our Sister City Exchange Program with Minami Alps in Japan. The exchange will occur in early October 2010, over 9-10 days. Applications are open to Queanbeyan students aged between 14 and 17 and a delegation of 10-13 students is sought. Additionally, 2-3 chaperones are required to take part in the exchange. To be eligible to travel as a chaperone applicants must undertake a working with children check. Anyone requiring further information about the student exchange is encouraged to contact Melissa Walker at Council on 6298 0283.
30 April Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
At its meeting on Wednesday night Council voted to make its Draft Community Strategic Plan 2010-2020, Draft Delivery Program 2010-13 and Draft Operational Plan 2010-11 available for public comment. Residents can make written submissions until Friday 28 May, 2010. Anyone wishing to make a submission is encouraged to do so as early as possible to ensure that Council can give due consideration to your comments and input. Council will hold two public meetings for members of the public to discuss the content of the Draft Integrated Plans and seek assistance on the development of their submission. Meetings will be held at the following times and locations:
• Tuesday 11 May 2010 at Fernleigh Park Community Hall, 17 Swan Drive, Googong at 6pm
• Tuesday 18 May 2010 at Queanbeyan Council Chambers, 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan at 6pm
Submissions will be presented to a Council workshop on Wednesday 16 June at 5.30pm in the Council Chambers, 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan. Copies of the Draft Plans are available at Council’s Customer Service Centre and the Queanbeyan Library, both at 257 Crawford St, or may be downloaded from Council’s website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au. Submissions can be forwarded to the General Manager, Queanbeyan City Council, PO Box 90, Queanbeyan NSW 2620 and be marked ‘Draft Integrated Plans Submission’ or emailed to
Positive review for Council
Last year the Department of Local Government conducted a review of Council as part of the Promoting Better Practice Program. The review saw a team closely evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of key aspects of Council’s overall strategic direction, check our compliance, examine appropriate practices and ensuring that Council had frameworks in place to monitor its performance. Council recently received the report of this review and the results are pleasing with six recommendations made. This is a great result as the average number of recommendations in the 82 published reports is 36. Before our report was published the lowest number of recommendations was 15. The report also indicated that Queanbeyan City Council should be a model for other councils. Council has addressed the six recommendations made and will continue to work hard to deliver quality service to the Queanbeyan community. The full review can be viewed on the Council’s website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au or the Department’s website at www.dlg.nsw.gov.au or by visiting Council’s Customer Service Centre at 257 Crawford St.
Queanbeyan Indoor Sports Centre
At Wednesday night’s meeting Council awarded the tender for the construction of the Queanbeyan Indoor Sports Centre. Now that Council has awarded the tender we will commence talks with the contractor to develop a construction timetable. When completed the centre will provide two multi-purpose indoor sports, ample spectator viewing areas and a kiosk.
Queanbeyan’s Heritage Award winners
Congratulations to the winners of the Queanbeyan Heritage Awards which were presented by Deputy Mayor, Cr Sue Whelan last weekend. Judges had a mighty job selecting winners of the four categories, and they were:
• New Building Design - Helen Kalachoff
• Contribution to Landscape and Garden - Krystyna Rejlich
• Outstanding Contribution to Heritage - Erroll Lea-Scarlett and Jim Woods
• Restoration of a Residential Building Aaron and Natalie Nye
The awards wrapped up the Queanbeyan Heritage Festival which ran for two weeks and offered an array of different activities. I thank all those residents who helped put the festival together.
23 April Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Ensuring we live in a safe community is one of the top priorities of Queanbeyan City Council and funding received last year from the NSW Attorney General’s Department will help address that issue. A project team will be formed, consisting of Council staff, Queanbeyan Police and community representatives. The team will conduct Community Safety Audits five ‘crime hot spots’ around Queanbeyan as identified through community consultation, discussion with Council and police information. The sites selected for Community Safety Audits are:
• Campbell Street Skate Park;
• Lowe Street carpark and the BP service station;
• The shopping centre near the Jerrabomberra Community Centre;
• The carpark on the corner of Morisset and Crawford Sts;
• Karabar shopping centre and carparks.
To assist with the Community Safety Audits, Council is calling on residents to nominate to be team members. This will give you the opportunity to have a say in what measures are put in place to make the above locations safer for the Queanbeyan community. The team will be required to attend an information session provided by the Police and Council on Tuesday 27 April 2010 between 6pm an 7pm at the Queanbeyan City Council Chambers at 253 Crawford St. Team members will also attend a day and night audit for the location of their choice. The time commitment needed will be five hours in total. If you would like to be involved in the Community Safety Audit teams or you would like to provide information on any or all of the sites listed above please contact Council’s Manager Family Services and Community Development Philippa Moss on 6298 0202 or
Family Day Care on the move
Council voted at its March meeting to relocate Queanbeyan Family Day Care from its current site in McKeahnie St to the site of the former South Queanbeyan Children’s Care (SQCC) at 181 Cooma Street. The relocation will allow Council to investigate the option of disposing of the property in McKeahnie Street. The site on Cooma Street has been vacant since July 2009 when Council ceased operation of the SQCC. The move will be beneficial to Family Day Care as the Cooma Street site provides an increased amount of parking space, is located closer to transport and shops and a lot of family day care clients live around the Karabar region. Before the move can be completed, Council must undertake some renovation work on the Cooma Street site.
Anzac Day this Sunday
I would like to finish this week by urging Queanbeyan citizens to make their way to the Anzac Day dawn service and march this Sunday. The dawn service will be conducted by Queanbeyan Legacy and will commence at 5.30am at the memorial precinct. The Anzac Day march will commence at 10.20am from the Queanbeyan RSL building in Crawford St. The march will go up Monaro St to the memorial precinct where a service and wreath laying will be undertaken. Due to the Anzac Day services the following street closures will apply
Dawn service:
• Monaro St west bound between Crawford Street and Lowe Street from 5.20am-5.35am.
• Lowe Street between Monaro Street and Lowe Street Carpark entrance from 5.15am-6am.
• Monaro Street east bound lane between Crawford Street and Lowe Street from 5.40am-5.55am.
• Farrer Place (full width) between Lowe Street and Cameron Road from 5.40am to 5.55am.
Main march:
From 8am-1pm
• Lowe Street (full width) between Lowe Street Carpark Entrance and Morisset Street.
• Crawford Street (full width) between Monaro Street and Rutledge Street.
From 8am to 11.15am
• Monaro Street (full width) between Crawford Street and Lowe Street.
• Farrer Place (full width) between Lowe Street and Cameron Road.
16 April Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
What is it that makes Queanbeyan such a great place to live and visit? If you believe you have the answer you could win a $25,000 Australian holiday and help showcase Queanbeyan on the world stage. In late March, Tourism Australia launched its new campaign ‘There’s Nothing Like Australia’ which runs until 12 May 2010 and residents are encouraged to upload photographs and stories of their favourite holiday experience or place to the campaign website, www.nothinglikeaustralia.com. This campaign presents an ideal opportunity for all of us to promote Queanbeyan as a great place to visit. Tourism Australia will choose a number of the best entries and use these in online and print advertising globally. Some of the great things Queanbeyan offers its visitors and residents include the Queanbeyan Gift, Queanbeyan Regatta, Queanbeyan River, abundant open spaces and a vibrant arts scene just to name a few. So get on your computer, upload a photo with a few inspirational words and you could be putting Queanbeyan on the map internationally. More information can be obtained from the above website.
Improving use of Queanbeyan’s parks
Council recently received $20,000 in funding under the Local Government Shires Association Healthy Communities Scheme. Council will use the funding to develop a social marketing program to promote the use of Queanbeyan’s parks, playgrounds and sports fields as places for play, physical activity and social connection. Council wishes to involve the community in this program and will establish an Advisory Group to test the messages and materials developed for the campaign and give advice to the project team. Nominations for the Group close on Friday 30 April and are open to Queanbeyan residents who use our parks and playgrounds for sport, children’s activities, physical activities and social recreation. For more information contact Geraldine Manser on 6298 4553.
River Restoration Team loses valuable equipment
I was deeply disappointed to hear that around $4000 worth of equipment was stolen from the River Restoration Team’s shed over the weekend. The theft of the equipment will severely disrupt the progress of the team because funds will have to be directed towards replacing the equipment, meaning less rehabilitation work will be completed on the river. This team has done a great job improving the River and making it a much more appealing place to visit over the past 18 months and the Queanbeyan community should be very proud of their efforts. If you have any information about the theft contact Queanbeyan Police on 6298 0555.
Hazard reduction burn this Saturday
Queanbeyan residents are advised that the NSW Rural Fire Service plans to carry out a hazard reduction burn on the North Terrace side of Mt Jerrabomberra on Sunday 18 April. If it can’t be conducted on Sunday it will be carried out on Sunday 9 May. The hazard reduction burn will be in the reserve from Ormond Court to Jerrabomberra Hill Road and will be over an area of approximately 18 hectares. These burns are used to reduce ground fuels in strategic areas. If residents have any concerns regarding the burn they should contact NSW Rural Fire Service on 6297 1840.
9 April Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Population forecasts released earlier this week by the NSW Minister of Planning Mr Tony Kelly showed that Queanbeyan’s population is expected to grow by up to 72% by 2036. The forecast states that Queanbeyan’s population is set to grow from 38,100 as recorded in the 2006 census to 65,400 by 2036 making it one of NSW’s fastest growing areas. This forecast did not come as a surprise to Council as we have been planning for a surge in population for a number of years. In 2006 Council developed the Residential and Economic Strategy 2031 to plan for the development of new suburbs within the city, and last year the Googong and Tralee Traffic Study (2031) was developed to ensure Queanbeyan’s traffic network continues to function as the population grows. Council also intends to develop a broader transport strategy for Queanbeyan. This projected growth does have a downside, however, as new infrastructure has to be built and adequately maintained into the future. Council has been grappling with the very issue with its proposal for a 5.8% CityCARE levy to address its current asset maintenance backlog. To adequately cope with this future growth councils like Queanbeyan are going to need a commitment from both State and Federal governments to help fund future infrastructure requirements. The main increase in population will occur in the new suburb of Googong, which was gazetted by the State Government last year. Council is well advanced in planning for Googong and when completed the suburb will house 15,000 new residents in 5,500 dwellings. It promises to be a very exciting time for Queanbeyan over the next 25 years as we see this city rapidly expand.
Moving ahead with riverside development
At its meeting on 24 March, Council formally endorsed the progression of the Riverside Café/Coffee Shop project. The project is part of the Council’s plan to improve the Queanbeyan River foreshore and increase usage of the river and the adjacent Art Gallery. At a workshop in February Council agreed on a concept design for the project and it is currently working on the development of the preferred concept and finalising costing and funding of the project. If all approvals are received and funding provided in 2010/11, it is expected that construction may commence in July with the project ready for use in late August/September.
Celebrating Queanbeyan’s heritage
Queanbeyan Deputy Mayor, Cr Sue Whelan last night officially launched Queanbeyan’s Heritage Festival which will run from 9-24 April. A series of events at the Library and Museums will be conducted during the fortnight-long festival along with a heritage walk and heritage awards. Copies of the program are available at Council’s Customer Service Centre and Library, both at 257 Crawford St or on the Council’s website at www.qcc.nsw.gov.au by selecting ‘Library and Cultural Services’ from the ‘Services’ menu.
2 April Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
The revitalisation of our city centre has long been identified as a strategic priority for our city. At last week’s Council meeting further progress was made in achieving this strategic goal with approval given for concept designs of the Crawford Street ‘lifestyle precinct’ to be placed on public exhibition. The proposed design will revitalise this part of our city centre. This proposed works will raise the overall street level, eliminate the kerbs and the mid street planter that currently restricts pedestrian access. Also, two-way traffic will be moved to the centre of the street, which will allow for the widening of footpaths and retaining existing levels of parking. Under the proposed designs pedestrians will be able to move freely throughout the precinct with vehicular traffic controlled by bollards. The key principle of the design is to provide an open, inviting, pedestrian friendly streetscape suitable for alfresco dining, public art, entertainment and other community activities. I hope many residents will take the opportunity to view the concept designs and provide us with constructive feedback.
Pesticide Notification
Council has in place since 2007 a Pesticide Notification Plan which has been an effective tool in informing the community of pesticide activity within the Queanbeyan Local Government Area. The plan identifies sensitive areas and sets out how and when Council will give public notice whenever it wishes to undertake spraying programs. The Council is required to review and update its Pesticides Notification Plan every three years which it has just completed. This review process allows the council to make any changes to the plan if needed and also allows for public submissions on these changes. Council will shortly be placing its revised Pesticide Notification Plan on public exhibition for 28 days.
Celebrating our Heritage
Council will be running a Heritage Festival from 9 – 24 April to celebrate our history and local heritage. The Deputy Mayor, Cr Sue Whelan will officially launch the Festival in the Queanbeyan Library at 5.45pm on 8 April. Members of the community are invited to attend this launch. A series of events at the Library and Museums and a heritage walk have been organised over the fortnight of the festival. Copies of the program are being advertised in Council’s ‘For Your Information’ advertisements which appear in the Age and Chronicle and will be available at our Customer Service Centre and Library.
Congratulations Hope & Ken Marland
Congratulations are extended to Hope and Ken Marland who are the recipients of the inaugural Mayoral Community Service Award. The award in is recognition of the outstanding service they have both provided to the Queanbeyan community over many years. Hope and Ken have given many years service on a wide range of activities in such areas as the Good Neighbour Council, Carinya Handicapped Peoples Association, the Queanbeyan Hospital Board, the YMCA, Rotary and Legacy. They have been active members of the Queanbeyan community for nearly 50 years and have selflessly given of themselves to help people across our city.
26 March Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
A number of momentous decisions were made at Council’s meeting on 25 March the most important of which was to proceed with an application to the Minister of Local Government for the CityCARE special rate levy to fund catch-up maintenance works across the city. The state of the city’s assets and their on-going maintenance is a matter of grave concern to this Council. If we are to remain such a great place to live then we need to commence addressing the funding gap for the maintenance of roads, footpaths, parks and sports fields. Councils in NSW have been struggling under 33 years of rate pegging to meet rising community demand for more services and facilities whilst living within a constrained financial environment which limits our income. Nobody likes being asked to pay extra taxes but this Council was elected to make decisions in the best interests of the community and it will not shy away from this responsibility. Indeed, the gravity of the situation facing Queanbeyan was highlighted by the fact that councillors voted 9 -1 to proceed with an application to the Minister. The additional $1.02 million per year which CityCARE will raise will allow Council to commence some of the necessary catch-up maintenance works. Council also approved the introduction of a $40 additional pensioner rebate to assist those on limited incomes to cope with the introduction of the levy. A five year program has been developed and this will be highlighted in the Draft Delivery Program and Draft Operational Plan which will be coming forward to the April Council meeting for approval to be placed on public exhibition. This will give the community further opportunity to provide Council with their views on CityCARE and the proposed works program.
Greening our Streets
Housing NSW has developed the Green Street Program to improve the environment around public housing areas. The project includes planting trees in selected streets, community gardens and neighbourhood parks. The Minister of Housing, the Hon David Borger will be in Queanbeyan on Monday 28 March to launch a Green Street Program for the Karabar area. Queanbeyan is very pleased to be a participant in this program as its goals fit in neatly with our Community Strategic Plan which has identified the improvement of our streetscapes as one of our long term goals. Also, it fits in neatly with our 10,000 trees program which we put in place in 2009 with the aim of greening Queanbeyan’s streets.
More equity in Rates
Council has agreed to move away from having a minimum rate to having a base charge which will be levied on all properties. The move to introducing a base charge will be more equitable because every ratepayer will now pay their fair share in funding Council services. Also, it removes the inequity of not levying the ad valorem component based on valuation. For example, the owner of a one bedroom apartment could pay a similar rate to that of a three bedroom apartment simply because their valuation did not exceed the threshold minimum rate. Under the minimum rate system 23% of properties within the city were on the minimum rate. This effectively meant that only 3 out of 4 properties were having their rates assessed on the actual value of their property.
Welcoming Mark home
It was great to see so many people come along on Monday March 22 to welcome Mark Webber back to his home town. People lined the streets to cheer him on and mobbed him for his autograph. The enthusiasm of everyone was fantastic and Mark thanked Queanbeyan for supporting him.
Mark_Webber_220310.pdf
19 March Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral Column
Council is deep in the process of developing its budget for the coming financial year. Central to the development of the 2010-11 budget is the proposal for the CityCARE levy. Two reports will be coming forward to the Council meeting on 24 March dealing with these important issues. The first report details the outcome of the community engagement process which Council undertook over the November 2009 – March 2010 period seeking ratepayers and residents views on the proposed CityCARE levy. The second details the process Council has gone through to develop the 2010-11 budget. This year’s budget has not been an easy process. Council has had to tackle a number of critical issues consisting of:
- Dealing with the backlog of asset maintenance and renewal works required to keep our roads, footpaths, parks and sports fields to a reasonable standard, and
- Addressing Council’s long term financial sustainability which moved into the ‘vulnerable’ classification during the term of the previous council.
We realise there are going to be some tough decisions which must be made in the coming years and I can assure residents that this Council will not shy away from these. If we want our city to be a great place to live and also to have a financially sustainable future we are going to need to look closely at services and facilities we provide as well as determining future service levels. Our proactive move into the new Integrated Planning & Reporting framework will greatly assist with this process.
Supporting a Local Sports Hero
This Monday (March 22) residents will have the opportunity to come along and cheer on Mark Webber. Mark is returning to Queanbeyan for a short visit and Council has arranged a motorcade and civic reception in his honour. The motorcade will start from the Atkinson Street roundabout at 12.30pm and drive along Monaro Street before turning into Crawford Street to finish in front of the Council Chambers. I hope as many residents as possible will take the opportunity to come along and show their support for Mark.
Regatta a Big Splash
This year’s Queanbeyan Regatta was a big splash last Saturday. Over 4000 people took the opportunity to come along and enjoy the fun in the sun. This event is growing in popularity and judging by the innovation shown in the types of rafts entered many of the participants are having a ball. This event can only get bigger and better for future years. I would like to thank all those Council staff who gave up their time to organise this fun event and also to all the enthusiastic teams that got into the spirit of the day and showed what can be done with a few recycled plastic containers!
Celebrating our Seniors
Seniors Week will be celebrated from 21 – 28 March and this year Council’s Aged and Disability Services has developed a program of activities for our senior citizens. The theme for seniors week is “Live Life” so Council has designed a program of events to encourage seniors to experience new activities and adventures and discover new interests. A full list of Seniors Week activities can be obtained from Council’s website or by visiting our Customer Service Centre and Library or by calling Aged and Disability Services on 6298 0281.
5 March Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral report
Queanbeyan City Council Councillors held a workshop in early February to discuss priorities they considered important to raise with both our local Federal and State Members and all candidates prior to their respective elections. The Federal Election will be held in 2010 while the State Election will be held in March 2011. Council determined the following matters to be priorities for the Federal and State elections at its Council Meeting last week.
1. Preliminary design and environmental work for:
- Ellerton Drive extension to Old Cooma Road
- Old Cooma Rd (further stages)
- Dunns Creek Rd, and
- 13 intersections
Feasibility study for:
- Northern bypass
A total of $4 million would be required for the above work over the four-year period, 2011-2014.
2. Government funding of $300,000 for community engagement and concept design work for regional sports precinct.
3. Funding for a new aquatic centre to be located in the Jerrabomberra Valley.
I look forward to presenting and discussing Council’s priorities with sitting Members and all candidates during 2010 and early 2011.
CityCARE report
Council has just completed the community engagement process for the CityCARE levy. Council initially reported that it would be bringing the results of this engagement process to the April Council meeting to decide whether to proceed with the application or not. After holding discussions with the Division of Local Government, it has been recommended that this information should now come forward to the 24 March Council meeting. This change in date has arisen due to the type of application that Council is considering. Council wishes to pursue a Section 508 (2) application which has a departmental deadline of 28 March.
Summer Sunset Markets on trial
Partly in response to calls from the community to reintroduce markets into Queanbeyan, Council will begin its Summer Sunset Markets trial tonight (Friday). The Markets will be held every Friday evening in March from 5pm to 8pm and will be held in the courtyard between the Queanbeyan Conference Centre and Queanbeyan Library in Crawford St. The markets have attracted some of the best local handmade arts and crafts, local produce and local entertainers. If the markets are deemed successful Council will look at running them throughout the daylight savings period later this year. So by attending the markets you will be giving them a vote of approval.
Clean Up Australia Day this Sunday
This Sunday is Clean Up Australia Day and I hope to see many Queanbeyan residents out and about with their gloves on. There are six registered Clean Up Australia Day sites in Queanbeyan on Sunday and the list can be seen in Council’s advert which appears on page 28 of today’s paper. On Tuesday, about 20 Council staff members took part in Business Clean Up Australia Day and picked up 20 bags of rubbish from around Queanbeyan. Keeping Queanbeyan clean should be a constant thought for us all, not just a once-a-year-event.
26 February Queanbeyan City Council Mayoral report
Queanbeyan City Council hosted the second and final session of the Residents and Ratepayers Forum on Tuesday night and I believe the whole exercise was very successful. The Forum formed part of the Council’s community engagement to examine its proposal to seek a special rate variation of 5.8% to fund part of the city’s maintenance backlog for roads, footpaths, parks and sportsfields. It was great to see the Forum participants put so much thought into the process and Council received a lot of feedback on the proposal. Participants saw presentations from Council staff members, Council contractors and also three members of the community who gave their opinion on the proposal. Towards the end of the Forum participants were asked to rate their level of support for the proposal. 54% of participants supported Council’s proposal, 16% were neutral in that they wanted more information or time, whilst 30% were opposed to the CityCARE levy. Council officers will now prepare a report which will come to the 24 March Council meeting. At this meeting, the Council will decide whether to proceed with an application to the Minister Local Government. If we proceed down that path the Minister will make a decision and inform us by June. Council will keep Queanbeyan residents up to date with what occurs in the coming weeks and months in regards to the CityCARE levy.
Sun to power Council building
Council sees itself as a leader in the community when it comes to environmental initiatives and it is has undertaken a number of initiatives to minimise its impact on the environment. At Wednesday night’s meeting Council approved a report which will see Council to out for tender a solar cell system to provide power for the Queanbeyan Conference Centre and administrative offices in that building. This is a big step forward for Council and shows the community that we are serious about looking after the environment.
Setting our priorities
Queanbeyan City Council Councillors held a workshop in early February to discuss priorities they considered important to raise with both our local Federal and State Members and all candidates prior to their respective elections. The Federal Election will be held in 2010 while the State Election will be held in March 2011. Council determined the following matters to be priorities for the Federal and State elections at its Council Meeting last week.
1. Preliminary design and environmental work for:
- Ellerton Drive extension to Old Cooma Road
- Old Cooma Rd (further stages)
- Dunns Creek Rd, and
- 13 intersections
Feasibility study for:
- Northern bypass
A total of $4 million would be required for the above work over the four-year period, 2011-2014.
2. Government funding of $300,000 for community engagement and concept design work for regional sports precinct.
3. Funding for a new aquatic centre to be located in the Jerrabomberra Valley.
I look forward to presenting and discussing Council’s priorities with sitting Members and all candidates during 2010 and early 2011.
Multicultural Festival this Sunday
Council and the Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre will host the annual Multicultural Festival this Sunday in Queanbeyan Park. The festival has attracted a number of different cultures and will feature food and information stalls and plenty of entertainment. The festival runs from 10am-4pm.
Googong approved
Queanbeyan City Council received confirmation from the NSW Government on Christmas Eve that the Queanbeyan Local Environmental Plan (Googong) 2009 had been approved, allowing for the construction of a new town at Googong. This is a huge step forward for Queanbeyan as this development will result in a new community of about 16,000 people consisting of 5,550 dwellings of varying sizes. To support the new residents and existing communities it will also contain about 34,000 square metres of retail/commercial floor space, considerable physical and community infrastructure and about 183 hectares of open space. Googong will also include various state of the art sustainability measures, including measures to reduce water usage, recycle waste water as well as promoting energy efficiency. As this development will result in a significant population growth in Queanbeyan’s south, Council will be working to upgrade roads around the area in the coming years based on the findings of the Googong and Tralee Traffic Study (2031) which was developed last year. The immediate projects will include the extension of Edwin Land Parkway and realignment of Old Cooma Rd which will both begin this year. The Edwin Land Parkway extension will see a two-lane extension of the road from Jerrabomberra to Old Cooma Rd at Karabar, while the realignment of Old Cooma Rd will occur on a stretch of road near the quarry. The study also recommended the extension of Ellerton Drive to join up with Edwin Land Parkway, however it was stated that the road would not be needed before 2021. It also recommended that Old Cooma Rd be upgraded to a four-lane road by 2031. Council is also continuing discussions with the Village Building Company and State and Federal Governments in regards to the construction of Dunns Creek Rd which would link Googong with the Monaro Highway. The development of Googong will create thousands of jobs over the coming years and will deliver a timely boost to the region’s economy. It has been some time since Queanbeyan’s last Greenfield development (Jerrabomberra) and I expect this development to be very popular and I look forward to seeing it progress.
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