'Your voice' will be needed during silly season

Read Time:9 Minute, 15 Second

Around 14 matters will be exhibited by Central Coast Council during the traditional “silly season” of December and January – some will be given additional time because they are being exhibited over the holiday period – but, while you’re trying to enjoy a bit of a break, your local government is asking you to comment on some pretty major issues.

By Jacquelene Pearson

The last Central Coast Council public meeting for 2023 will take place on Tuesday, 12 December and the business paper includes two items that, if the Administrator adopts the staff’s recommendations, will be placed on public exhibition.

They are the long-anticipated Central Coast Airport Masterplan, which will be exhibited for 60 days and the draft privacy management plan policy and draft data breach policy. The second-last meeting for the year, held on 28 November, saw Administrator Hart agree to place another five items on exhibition: Central Coast Draft Night Time Economy Discussion Paper; Draft Central Coast Local Approvals Policy; Draft Central Coast Outdoor Trading Specification; Draft Central Coast Regulatory Policy; and Central Coast Thematic History.

If that list of items for your consideration and feedback over the holiday period isn’t enough, the controversial Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council’s planning proposal to rezone conservation land on Woy Woy Road, Kariong, has also just been placed “under exhibition” along with a far less contested proposal for land at the Narara Eco Village via the NSW Government Planning Portal.

In politics, the practice of putting out bad news when no one is taking much notice, such as on the Thursday before easter, or on Melbourne Cup Day or Christmas Eve, is known by journalists as “taking out the trash”.

When The Point put that proposition to Central Coast Council Administrator, Rik Hart, he replied: “I don’t control what comes up [on the meeting agenda].”

According to Mr Hart, the authority and responsibility for deciding what is placed on the meeting agenda rests with the council’s general manager.

“The council agenda is absolutely set by the CEO. Every council goes through this. Through the year everything builds up and councils have big meetings towards the end of the year,” he said.

“What I have asked is that what comes up in December is to make sure it is spread out between the December and the January meetings.

“The usual thing that happens over Christmas is they get a longer [consultation] time anyway.”

Mr Hart agreed that we had a “point” but, added, “As I said it is pretty traditional in all councils. You get an influx and people want to finish their work before the end of the year. It would be nice to be able to balance things out throughout the year.”

It may not surprise you to hear that The Point has not yet had the opportunity to read through all the documents related to matters that are already, or will shortly be, on exhibition for community feedback. Here’s a quick overview of the matters you may wish to comment on between trips to the beach and slices of Auntie Peg’s Christmas pud.

The following list includes what is already on exhibition and what is likely to be exhibited before the end of January. We think it is apt to use the new bushfire warnings to give you an understanding of how much time you might consider taking out of your summer holiday to give Central Coast Council your feedback.

Darkinjung LALC (Kariong) Woy Woy Road – Emergency Warning

Now on exhibition via the NSW Government Planning Portal, with the closing date for submissions 29 January. The objective of the Planning Proposal is to rezone land owned by Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) at Kariong, comprising part of Lots 512 and 513, DP727686 at Woy Woy Road, from Zone C2 Environmental Conservation to Zone R2 Low Density Residential and Zone C3 Environmental Management to facilitate future residential development and an environmental buffer area suitable for a stormwater detention facility, respectively. On the basis of biodiversity and the protection of threatened species habitat, there is a strong argument for this land being retained as conservation land. It’s rezoning and development would set a significant precedent.

Central Coast Airport Master Plan – Emergency Warning

The former Wyong Council’s pipe dream to have a major airport on the Central Coast lives on in the exhibition of this master plan, this time it’s proudly supported by NSW Planning. Good to know the state’s planning department is willing to support the destruction of this region’s largest fresh water wetland. There is so much wrong with this master plan we hardly know where to begin. Its exhibition whilst the council is under administration and across the summer holiday can only be described as falling short of best practice.

Draft Central Coast Regulatory Policy – Emergency Warning

On exhibition via Your Voice Our Coast until 7 February. This policy is intended to replace council’s existing policy for compliance and enforcement. The description of this policy is quite bureaucratic, mentioning, for example, “to empower the use of discretion by staff involved in regulatory decisions where appropriate”. In a Local Government Area that will have had no elected representatives for five out of the eight years from May 2016 to September 2024, one wonders how much more discretion staff could be given. This one may be worth a close look, hence the Emergency Warning.

Narara Eco Village Planning Proposal – Watch and Act

This one is now on exhibition via the NSW Government Planning Portal. The Planning Proposal seeks to retain the extent of the R2 Low Density Residential zoning, expand the range of permissible land uses, and reduce the minimum lot size provisions applying to the site. The proposed amendments will facilitate the redevelopment of the site for the purposes of multi-dwelling housing (which were previously permitted on the site as ‘cluster housing’ on the former zone) and some small business, commercial and retail activities to provide for local employment.

Our Coast Our Waterways – Watch and Act

This one has been chugging along for over 12 months and, according to Your Voice Our Coast, it is now up to Stage 3, preparation of an options assessment based on community consultation. The outcome of this process will be Coastal Management Programs for the Hawkesbury River including Brisbane Water, Tuggerah Lakes, Open Coast and Lake Macquarie. The timeframe is difficult to understand and the community has been asked to register to be part of focus groups. If you have been part of a focus group we’d love to hear from you.

Lease of Community Land at Various Locations – Watch and Act

This one has been on exhibition since 21 November and closes on 18 December via Your Voice Our Coast. Those various locations include parts of 2W Koowong Rd, Gwandalan, Budgewoi Scout Hall, Ettalong Scout Hall, part of 107 Scenic Drive, Budgewoi.

Water and Sewer: unserviced properties – Watch and Act

Another one currently open on Your Voice Our Coast, this is a survey that doesn’t close until 2 January. The interesting thing is that even though the issue is about unserviced properties, the survey only wants responses from people who own or occupy properties that are serviced. Another survey is to follow in February.

Phegans Bay Waterfront Masterplan – Watch and Act

Another Your Voice Our Coast consultation that will be open for public feedback until 1 February. Clearly this one is of particular interest to residents of The Bays.

Draft Hardship and Debt Recovery Policy – Watch and Act

On exhibition until 18 January via the Your Voice Our Coast website. This policy sets out how the council will deal with unpaid rates and set about recovering unpaid debts. Given that the average Central Coast household is only three to six weeks away from financial hardship in the event of a life crisis like job loss or a health disaster, this one should be of interest to most of us.

Draft Night Time Economy Discussion Paper – Watch and Act

Apparently substantial stakeholder engagement has already been completed prior to the writing of the discussion paper which is now on exhibition for public feedback, via Your Voice Our Coast until 12 February. A stimulated night time economy sounds like a good, inclusive idea to us that should boost our creative community.

Draft Central Coast Local Approvals Policy – Watch and Act

Approved by Mr Hart at the 28 November council meeting to be placed on public exhibition, you can currently find this draft policy on page 474 of the attachments to the agenda from the 28 November council meeting. This policy contains many appendices and sets out the permissions and exemptions required for a whole host of activities such as placing a relocatable home on land or deliver a public address or hold a religious meeting. We wonder why this policy needs to be updated during a period of administration. We think it is worth a close read.

Draft outdoor trading specification – Advice

Another one approved for exhibition at the 28 November meeting but not yet places on exhibition.

Draft Central Coast Thematic History – Advice

Currently available in the attachments to the 28 November council meeting, this was another item approved for exhibition that has not yet been placed on exhibition.

Community Engagement Plan 2023-24 – Advice

Currently available on the Your Voice Our Coast website, this is council’s helpful guide to what they expect to put out for public consultation during which quarter of the year. You will note a few items have been moved around recently. No feedback required but a useful guide to print out an pin to your fridge door next to the tide chart.

Draft Privacy Management Plan Policy and Data Breach Policy – Advice

Another of the items that has been placed on the agenda for the 12 December council meeting.

We are unable to verify whether it is ‘standard practice’ in councils across NSW to have so much public consultation going on during the Christmas, New Year, summer school holiday period. Is this Central Coast Council simply being efficient and making sure it stays up to date? What other explanation could there be? Some have suggested to The Point that the amount going on exhibition this silly season is all about the bureaucracy within CCC getting all their ducks lined up before the September 2024 local government election. What do you think? If the council is currently acting in the best interests of its residents and ratepayers what would it have to fear from the presence of an elected council?

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