MACLEAY WATER INTRODUCES QUARTERLY BILLING SYSTEM

Residents, ratepayers and small business owners are advised that Macleay Water is changing from 6 monthly billing to a quarterly billing program this financial year (2008/09). This change is compulsory for all local councils in NSW, per State Government requirements, to enhance the management of the State’s water resources.

This change will benefit customers of Macleay Water in that instead of receiving two larger water usage bills a year, you will receive 4 smaller accounts over the year.

The average residential household in the shire uses around 180kl (kilolitre) of water per year. The Council’s fees and charges for water usage for the 2008/09 year are $1.10/kl for the first 250/kl and $1.65/kl for every kilolitre thereafter.

This system has been introduced is to encourage people to monitor their usage each quarter and to ensure leaks are repaired quickly to conserve water resources.

Under the new system you can expect to receive your water accounts dated 30 September, 30 December, 30 March and 30 June.

From Monday 4 August, Council’s contracted water meter readers (wearing bright orange shirts) will begin the reading the shire’s water meters for the first quarterly billing period.

If you have any enquiries about the change over to the quarterly billing system please contact Cath Anthony, Macleay Water’s Accounts Officer on 65 663284.

TENDER FOR THE LEASE/LICENCE OF PART OF RUDDER PARK, EAST KEMPSEY FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS FACILITIES FOR PERIOD 1 JULY 2016 TO 30 JUNE 2029
TENDER NO: T2008-007

Tenders are invited for the for the Lease/Licence of part of Rudder Park, East Kempsey for Telecommunications Facilities for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2029.

The proposed Lease/Licence will be only for that part of the park currently used for Telecommunications facilities.

Specifications and further details may be obtained from Mr Patrick Hanrahan on (02) 6566 3201 or via email to pat.hanrahan@kempsey.nsw.gov.au. A copy of the tender documentation is also available to download on Council’s website – www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au.

Tenders will be received up to 2.00pm on Tuesday, 19 August 2008, and are to be sealed in an envelope, clearly marked “TENDER NO: T2008-007 – Lease/Licence of part of Rudder Park, East Kempsey for Telecommunications Facilities” . Tenders are to be submitted to the General Manager, Kempsey Shire Council, PO Box 3078, West Kempsey, NSW 2440 or placed in the tender box in Council’s Customer First Centre Foyer, 22 Tozer Street, West Kempsey. Tenders may also be sent electronically clearly marked to fax (02) 65663205 or emailed to tenders@kempsey.nsw.gov.au.

In accordance with the Local Government (General) Regulation, Council will not consider a tender that is not submitted to the Council by the deadline for the closing of tenders.

APPLICATIONS INVITED FOR USE OF COUNCIL’S SPORTING FIELDS
SUMMER SEASON BOOKINGS 1 OCTOBER 2008 TO 31 MARCH 2009

Applications are invited for the use of Council’s Sporting Fields for the Summer Season, 1 October 2008 to 31 March 2009. This invitation includes utilisation of playing fields for one-off events or regular use.

All user groups, including schools, wishing to utilise Council’s fields during the Summer season should request and complete the Application Forms and relevant documents, and provide the documentation requested in the information kit. Please contact Customer First on 02 65 663200 to obtain a kit. It is important to obtain a current kit from Customer First so that your group is fully aware of its obligations and responsibilities.

These applications are important because they form the basis of our record keeping on field usage. These records are also used to assist our budgeting process by providing evidence supporting capital expenditure on the fields.

LEASE OF FORMER SES BUILDING RIVER STREET KEMPSEY
EOI 2008-013 - Submission date extended to 19 August 2008

Expressions of Interest are invited for the lease of the premises formerly used as the SES Headquarters in River Street, West Kempsey.

The premises consist of a fibro and weatherboard house/warehouse containing
• Six (6) small rooms
• One (1) large domestic kitchen area
• One (1) small storage area
• Large garaging facilities
• Shower and 2 toilets
• Off street parking

Council may give consideration to refurbishment or internal renovations of the building for the right tenant. It is strongly recommended that interested parties arrange a site inspection by contacting Troy Baker on 6566 3342 prior to submitting an Expression of Interest.

Expressions of Interest must include details of the financial offer to Council.

The best or any Expression of Interest will not necessarily be accepted.

Expressions of Interest must be received by 2:00pm, 19 August 2008, addressed to:

The General Manager
EOI 2008-013
Kempsey Shire Council
PO Box 3078
WEST KEMPSEY NSW 2440

For further inquires or inspections please contact Troy Baker on 6566 3342.

PUBLIC NOTIFICATION OF DEVELOPMENT CONSENTS - ISSUED BY COUNCIL

Consent has been granted for the following applications.

A record of consents may be inspected, without charge, at the Customer First Centre of the Kempsey Shire Council, Civic Centre, Tozer Street, West Kempsey, between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm from Monday to Friday (public holidays excepted).

SETTING UP A BUSINESS – COUNCILS RETAIL BUSINESS GUIDE

A comprehensive guide was produced by Councils Economic Development Section in order to provide useful information for retail business owners and operators throughout the Macleay Valley.

The key areas of information covered by the guide are:

• Councils requirements for Business set up and modification.
• Kempsey Town Centre Development Plan No. 28.
• Store Access
• Store Security
• Store Safety
• Customer Service
• Merchandising
• Food Handling
• The Australian Retailers Association
• Local Information and Useful Contacts

For further enquires about this publication contact Macleay Development and Promotion at Kempsey Shire Council, phone 6566 3100 or details can be found on Council’s web site www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au just go to ‘Business Industry’ click on ‘Economic Development’ and scroll down to ‘Kempsey Retail Business Guide 2007’.

COMPLIMENTS & COMPLAINTS

Council’s Complaints and Compliments Policy aims to improve customer service in relation to Council activities. It gives you the chance to provide feedback to Council when something has been done well or poorly. Your feedback helps us provide effective and consistent management of complaints in relation to Council activities, receive compliments, and presents management and staff with the opportunity to:

• Provide improved service and satisfaction to customers who may have expressed dissatisfaction with Council
• Identify areas of Council’s services which may require improvement
• Utilise compliments to encourage staff excellence and to assess service delivery levels
• Strengthen public support for Council and improve its public image in the eyes of the community
• Provide a means of checking that Council is complying with the National Competition Policy

In conjunction with this Policy, Council has recently updated its brochure for residents to assist them should they wish to lodge a complaint, make a suggestion or offer a compliment to staff. The brochure answers the following questions:

• What should I do if I wish to complain?
• To whom do I address my complaint?
• What happens after I make my complaint? And
• What happens if I am unhappy with the results?

This brochure are available at Council’s Customer First Centre or can be downloaded from our website – www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE MANUAL

Kempsey Shire Council’s Corporate Governance manual confirms Council’s commitment to public accountability and identifies the strategies, procedures and policies Council has in place to support good decision making and ethical practices. The manual is available for the information of residents and ratepayers at the Civic Centre in Elbow Street, West Kempsey and the Shire Libraries in Kempsey, South West Rocks and Hat Head. It is also accessible on Council’s website at http://www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au/pdfs/corpgovern1.pdf.

BUILD A SAFER HOME

As part of its Crime Prevention Strategy, Kempsey Shire Council has developed a set of Guidelines for Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED). These guidelines are specifically designed to assist builders and developers with design options that pay heed to home security considerations. A copy the CPTED guidelines is now available at Customer First and is also accessible on Council’s website (go to Communications, Documents, ‘C’).

COMMUNITY CONSULTATION REGISTER

Council is establishing a Community Central Consultation Register so that members of our community can register their interest in participating in focus group and other consultative opportunities. All you need to do to be included is fill in a registration form and return it to Council. Forms are available from Council’s Customer First Centre, all branches of the Shire Library, or online at www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au (go to Communications, then Forms Index (Alpha), and you’ll find under ‘C’, Central Consultation Register).