CONTROL OF GIANT PARRAMATTA GRASS

Council wishes to advise that spraying of Giant Parramatta Grass, with chemical registered for its control, will take place from August until January. Spraying will be carried out on selected Council fenced roadsides and reserves. If you would like to know more about the program contact Council’s Weeds Officer, Greg Egan, on 65663200.

PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE BREAKABLE ITEMS AT CEMETERIES

If you are visiting or placing flowers at any of the Shire’s cemeteries please remember that no breakable glass or ceramic containers/ornaments are permitted to be left at graves. These types of items break easily and this presents a risk of injury to visitors and Council staff who maintain the cemetery grounds. Your assistance in this would be appreciated.

Please note that Council staff will conduct periodic clean-ups at the Shire cemeteries to remove any breakable items.

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.

LOOK WHAT’S NEW ON COUNCIL’S WEBSITE……..

How development proposals are affected by new legislation requiring the Disclosure of Political Donations and Gifts - Read more on this topic under News Items on Council’s homepage.

For the kids…..

Macleay Water has produced colouring-in activity sheets to celebrate National Water Week which can be found under News Items “Photo competition for National Water Week” on Council’s homepage.

Look for other activities for the school holidays on the brightly coloured “Youth” link on the homepage. While you are in Youth Services check out the ‘photo gallery of the recently held Youth Forum – enjoy!

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, 2440.

DESIGNATED DEVELOPMENT

Description of proposal: Kempsey Shire Council has received a Development Application (File Number T6-08-328), for the extension of a quarry (being designated development under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act) at Dondingalong.

Description of Land: Site of Gravel quarry:- Lot 4 DP 622304 No 593 Gowings Hill Road, Dondingalong.

Applicant: Hopkins Consultants, PO Box 1556, PORT MACQUARIE NSW 2444

Consent Authority: Kempsey Shire Council

Integrated Development
The Development Application is also classified as integrated development pursuant to s91 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 as Environment Protection Licence approvals are required from the Department of Environment and Conservation under the provisions of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 and an approval under the Water Management Act 2000 through the Department of Water and Energy.

Public Inspection
The Development Application and accompanying Environmental Impact Statement are available for public inspection from Wednesday, 8 October 2008 until Thursday, 6 November 2008 at the offices of:

Submissions
Any person may make a written submission to Council during the public inspection period between 8 October 2008 and 6 November 2008, where a submission is by way of objection, the grounds of objection must be specified.

Any person who makes a submission by way of an objection and who is dissatisfied with the determination of Council to grant consent to the Development Application may appeal to the Land and Environment Court in accordance with Section 98 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

A person or associate of the person who makes a submission in relation to the application must make a disclosure of any reportable political donation or gift made in the previous 2 years (and up to the time the matter is determined).

The disclosure (Disclosure Statement of Political Donations and Gifts) will need to accompany the submission. A Disclosure Form and further details can be obtained from Council’s website www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au or at Council’s Customer First Centre.

Despite the provisions of the above, where a Commission of Enquiry is held the Ministers determination of the application is final and not subject to appeal.

NOTIFICATION OF CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS

The public are advised that it is intended to consider the following development related issues lodged with the Sustainable Development Services Department at the Council Meeting of 14 October, 2008. The meeting will commence at 9.00am.

Further information on the Development Proposals can be obtained by contacting:
Sustainable Development Services Department.

PROPOSED RESEALING WORKS

Kempsey Shire Council is conducting their regular road resealing program for 2008/2009. Council will be resealing the following roads during the month of October 2008 commencing Monday 13th October weather permitting.

• KEMP STREET KEMPSEY
• COCHRANE STREET KEMPSEY
• EDEN STREET KEMPSEY
• JUBILEE LANE KEMPSEY
• KIDMAN AVENUE KEMPSEY
• LACHLAN STREET KEMPSEY
• LOWER LORD STREET KEMPSEY
• MACQUARIE STREET KEMPSEY
• SEA STREET KEMPSEY
• RUDDER STREET KEMPSEY
• RAWSON STREET SMITHTOWN
• KINCHELA STREET GLADSTONE

To enable this work to be completed in the minimum possible time and with least convenience to residents and local business, Council ask that residents & staff avoid parking on the road area prior to and between the hours of 7:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday.

Council apologises for any inconvenience these works may cause.

Please contact the Works Office on 6566 3200 if you require any further information.

AGED ACCOMMODATION
Leith Street and Tozer Street Units
REGISTRATION OF INTEREST INVITED

Council has units in Leith Street and Tozer Street complexes at West Kempsey and elderly people interested in securing this accommodation in Councils’ Aged Units are invited to register their interest for consideration.

Registration of interest / application forms are available from Council’s Customer First Centre, Civic Centre West Kempsey or phoning 65 663200.

AUSTRALIA DAY
Australia Day Award Nominations Open

Nominations are now open for the Australia Citizen, Young Citizen and Community Awards. Categories for the awards are:-

• Citizen
• Young Citizen
• Sports
• Community Service
• Community Entertainment, Music and Arts

Nomination forms can be obtained by phoning the Council’s Customer First Centre on 6566 3200, download an application form from Council’s website or alternatively this year you can lodge your application on line at www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au. The closing date to lodge a nomination is Friday, 21 November 2008.

Local Community Celebrations

Community groups that are proposing to hold local celebrations on Australia Day, 2009 are asked to provide details of the event to Melanie Booth in Council’s Community Services Section on 6566 3221. In this way, Council can assist with the promotion of the activity in conjunction with the Shire’s official awards ceremony, which will be held on Monday, 26th January, 2008.

COMMUNITY SERVICE DIRECTORY

Did you know that you can access the Kempsey Shire Community Service Directory on council’s website? It lists names and contact numbers for a variety of different services available in the shire. To access the directory all you have to do is go to www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au ,‘Community’ and then down to ‘Community Directory’. If you do not have internet access but would like information from the Community Directory please contact Council on 65 663200.

RESERVE YOUR LIBRARY ITEMS VIA OUR COUNCIL WEBSITE

You can now reserve books, DVDs, videos, computer games, magazines via our Kempsey Shire Council website catalogue at www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au/library.htm. The process is easy, all you need to do is visit this site address and reserve your choices by using your membership number and birthdate as your password. If you need any assistance please speak to our friendly library staff who are more than happy to walk you through the process at any of our libraries or just follow the easy instructions on the website, reserve your items of choice and the library will phone you when the they arrive!

TANK RADIO

Council has a weekly program on Tank FM (103.1). Tune in on Mondays just after 10am for updates, news and information on Council’s services and facilities. This is one more way Council is communicating with you.