PROPOSED ASPHALT WORKS – PERROTTS BRIDGE, JERSEYVILLE

Kempsey Shire Council wishes to advise that they will be undertaking bridge maintenance works on Perrotts Bridge at Jerseyville on Thursday, 2 April 2009 & Friday, 3 April 2009, between the hours of 9am and 4pm (weather permitting).

South West Rocks Road will be closed to traffic between Smithtown Bridge and Jerseyville Fish Co-op, during the above hours of work.

Residents are advised that they will be able to access their properties, but that the bridge will be closed to all traffic.

Public are advised to use alternative route’s to South West Rocks (Pacific Highway-Plummers Lane) or (Summer Island road - Plummers Lane). Roads will be closed between the above hours for works to be completed. Traffic Control and detours will be in place to direct traffic.

YOUTH WEEK EVENTS (20 - 25 April)

Kempsey Shire’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) has some excellent events, with great prizes, planned for Youth Week celebrations in 2009 including:

• Performance Nights @ Melville High - Monday 20 April & Friday 24 April
  Let your talent shine in one of four categories (solo artist, group, bands and choir) with two age divisions (Under 16 and 16-24 years). Entry is free.
  
  
• Art Competition
  Entries in this competition will be displayed at both Performance nights.
  Two categories (painting and sculpture) with three age divisions (4-12 years, 13-15 years and Under 24 years). Entry is free.
  
  
• Skatefest - 21-25 April
  Show your mates your moves in the Skatefest in one of four categories skate, BMX, scooters and blades (depending on numbers) in three age divisions (4-12 years, 13-15 years and Under 24 years).

Three heats will be held: Crescent Head Skatepark (Tuesday 21 April), Kempsey Skatepark (Wednesday 22 April) and South West Rocks Skatepark (Thursday 23 April) from 9.00 am each day.

Finals at Kempsey Skatepark on Saturday, 25 April, will feature music, and entertainment. A barbecue will also be available.

Please note, a mark of respect will be paid as Anzac March passes.

Entry fee on the day is a Gold Coin donation but it’s free if you hand in an entry form (available on Council’s youth webpage) before the day.

Visit the Youth Webpage at http://www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au/ythserv.html for full details and entry forms for these events or contact Council on 65 663200. There are over $3,000 in prizes to be won in these great Youth Week events.

Be quick as entries for the Performance Nights and Art Competition close 9 April!

The YAC would like to thank its Youth Week sponsors, especially, The Music Zoo and Vo Col Seabrite Chooks. Thanks also to the Macleay Netball Association for their support in running the canteen at the performance nights.

COMMUNITY DISCUSSIONS – SPECIAL RATE VARIATION

Council will be conducting 4 more consultation meetings this week at various locations in the Shire to talk to the community about the need for Council to apply for to the Minister for Local Government for a special rate variation.

You are urged to attend one of the community discussions below so that you can be fully informed prior to making your decision as to whether to support Council’s application for a special rate variation:-

Community Poll
You can also have your say on this issue via a community poll which is available online (at www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au), at the Shire Libraries in Kempsey, South West Rocks, Stuarts Point and Hat Head, or you can fill the form in below. The poll closes at 4.30pm on Monday, 6 April 2009. The feedback from the poll will be considered at Council’s meeting on 7 April 2009.

STUARTS POINT MEETING RESCHEDULED

Due to confusion over the meeting time and requests from the Stuarts Point Community the meeting on the Special Rate Variation has been rescheduled for 6.30pm on Thursday, 2 April 2009, at the Stuarts Point Community Hall. This is the same night as the Willawarrin meeting and Council will split its resources to ensure both meetings are able to present information to each respective community on this important issue.

Council appreciates the support and understanding given by our community in trying to adequately answer their questions about the special rate variation.

If you would like further information about the special rate variation consultation please contact Megan Barber on 6566 3200.

SPECIAL RATE VARIATION POLL

Due to the current economic downturn Council has made severe cuts to its Draft 2009/10 Budget, particularly to the maintenance and rehabilitation of the Road Network, where service provision has been slashed by $1.4million, with current service levels cut by 20.5%.

Unless approval for a special rate variation of 8%, (or 77cents per week for the average urban residential property), can be gained from the Minister for Local Government all residents can expect to be affected by reduced spending on the resurfacing and rehabilitation of roads.

We need every resident who cares about this Shire to have a say!

Simply tick one of the Boxes below and fill in your name and address and forward to the General Manager, Kempsey Shire Council, PO Box 3078, West Kempsey. NSW. 2440; or hand in to Council’s Customer First Centre, 22 Tozer Street, West Kempsey.

□ Yes! I do support seeking a special rate variation so that Council can maintain current levels of road maintenance and rehabilitation by raising an additional $800,000.

OR

□ No! I do not support seeking a special rate variation and accept that this will mean a decrease in Council’s service level to the community on the road network.

Name: ______________________________

Address: ____________________________________________________________

Please note, the poll closes at 4.30pm on Monday, 6 April 2009.

Each poll submitted will be included for t the Minister’s consideration of Council’s application for Special rate variation.

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 7 April 2009. The meeting will commence at 9.00am.

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

DEVELOPMENT APPLICATION PUBLIC REGISTER

Council has introduced a free Development Application Public Register online service that provides details on all applications received by Council since 1980.

This service is not designed to monitor progress on the approval of individual applications but rather to allow members of the public to ascertain basic information, such as the development application number and copies of the Development Determinations from 2006. Being able to supply such details may save you time and money in search fees when seeking further information on a particular development from Council.

The information displayed will include Application Number, Applicant Name, Application Lodgement Date, Development Description, Property Location and Determination.

You will find the online DA register on our website at www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au, go to the heading ‘Departments’, click on ‘Sustainable Development Services’, then ‘DA Register’ . If you are unsure how the service works, or if you need more detailed information, please contact Council on 65663200.

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.

MAILING LIST UPDATE

Council is currently updating their mailing lists for groups interested in receiving copies of their Management Plan and Annual Report. If you are involved in a community group which has an interest in Council’s plans and are not currently on Council’s mailing list, please phone Megan Barber on 6566 3334. She will ensure that your group is added to the mailing list for future publications.

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.

PUBLIC EXHIBITION OF
DRAFT RECYCLED WATER CONNECTIONS AND USE POLICY
28 Day Exhibition Period – 31st of March to 27th of April

The Draft Recycled Water Connections and Use Policy will be exhibited for a period of 28 days to allow residents to fully consider the proposed Recycled Water Connections and Use Policy. The objective of the policy is to:

• To increase security and availability of water supplies
• To reduce volumes of sewage effluent discharged to the environment
• To facilitate ecological and economic sustainable development

The supply and use of recycled water will help reduce the impact of development on the environment and save valuable drinking water for personal use. The ongoing sustainability of such provisions is reliant upon mandatory uptake of the recycled water service.

A copy of the Recycled Water Connections and Use Policy can be viewed on the Macleay Water website www.macleaywater.com.au, at the Kempsey Council Customer First Centre, Kempsey Library, South West Rocks Library, Stuarts Point Library and Hat Head Library.

Any interested person may inspect the draft Recycled Water Connections and Use Policy at the above location during the exhibition period.

Submissions to the draft Recycled Water Connections and Use Policy are to be made before 4.3Opm on Monday, May 11, 2009. Submissions should be addressed to the General Manager, Kempsey Shire Council, PO Box 3078 West Kempsey, NSW 2440. Please note that any submissions received are likely to be reproduced in full in Council’s business paper and accordingly will be treated by Council as public information.

For further information please contact: Customer first on 6566 3200.

NOTICE OF PROPOSED DEVELOPMENTS

The following applications have been received and are notified in accordance with Council’s Policy.
NOTE: Not all applications received require public notification.

The applications and plans relating to the developments to which this notice refers may be inspected at Council’s Customer First Centre, Tozer Street, West Kempsey, any time between 8.30am and 4.30pm from Monday to Friday (public holidays excepted) for the period stated above.

At anytime during which the application may be inspected, any person:

1 who has received written notice of a proposed development from Council; or
2 who owns land and who contends that his enjoyment of that land will be detrimentally affected if a proposed development is carried out; or
3 who feels that a proposed development will adversely affect the character or amenity of the surrounding area may object in writing to council.
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 or Customer First Centre.

If the application will need to be considered by Council, a precis of submissions received will be included in a report to Council for determination of the application. Copies of submissions may be included in the Appendices to the Business Paper unless specifically requested by the writer not to be included and the submission is clearly headed “confidential”.

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).

COMMUNITY GROUPS URGED TO APPLY NOW FOR CDSE FUNDS

The Community Development and Support Expenditure (CDSE) Scheme is now taking Category 1 grant applications for projects within the Kempsey Shire.

Funds for the CDSE scheme are provided by medium to large registered clubs. Last year registered clubs in NSW supported community and sporting groups to the tune of more than $100 million.

Applications for Category 2 grants (including sporting, cultural and other activities) are administered directly by the clubs. The closing date for applications is 4.30pm, Friday 24 April 2009. For more details on how to apply for CDSE funding you can contact Clubs NSW on 02 9268300 or visit www.clubsnsw.com.au. Application forms are available on Kempsey Shire Council’s website at www.kempsey.nsw.gov.au.