More of the same with MCC or a new way forward?
We need a community plan.
Next NACRA meeting 10.00 am 1 June 2019
A group of 5 NACRA members and a new resident attended the Community Conversation workshop run by Mid Coast Council on May 8. Tony Hann has published a summary of the outcomes on the NAC website. The workshop and the limitations were not new to NACRA members who have been working on priorities for a number of years.
At the April meeting of NACRA the Mid Coast Council conversation strategy was promoted and you can read about this in the minutes.
"Mid Coast Council is encouraging locals to ‘join the conversation’, with a series of local community workshops soon to roll out across the region over the coming weeks. Tea Garden May 9. These workshops will form the basis for developing community plans and strategic plans across the Council area. The plans will obviously form the budgeting for council infrastructure and I understand this could be up to 10 years.
We need to be ready for this process and able to think outside the current demographic and structure of our community. The challenge for North Arm Cove is in coming up with planning priorities for a future that may or may not include development. More information on this may come to light in the coming months.
The Conversation workshops are needs and wants and questions. This is the first part of the process. Later there will be follow up workshops with communities to develop a community plan."
We were not expecting to be determing priorities for the Cove that would be binding for the community and MCC,at the 8 May workshop, however as Tony pointed out the following list has been put together which will be discussed at the next NACRA meeting along with starting a community plan.
The priorities so far are;
Environment – to include a conservation plan for the future, and issues like dumping in our bush, non-native animal controls including feral cats and roaming dogs, waterfront degradation.
Maintenance of facilities – storm water drainage, help with our parks (grass cutting and toilet).
Roads – safety (speed control, lane widths and cycle safety), lighting, signage.
Compliance – enforcement of regulations regarding illegal structures (containers, caravans), illegal tree removal, illegal release of sewage.
Fame Cove – recognition and appropriate treatment of any state significant development proposals, regular liaison with our community, a commitment to ensuring any development will be fully conforming and environmentally sustaining.
New approach for Southern Area Reference Group
NAC has been represented at every monthly group meeting with reps from community groups in Buladelah, Tea Gardens, Hawks Nest, Bundabah, Pindimar and of course NAC. The group has agreed with council to develop a new format. Previously the meeting focused on works requests and monitoring progress, identifying glitches and maintainng open negotiation with council for improved services. Progress will be still monitored the reference group will also focus on community planning across the southern region. This is a good reason to have a community plan for NAC.
Factors that impact on the progress of works.Council has restricted budgets. The focus for the next year by MCC is on roads. There are little funds available for maintenance of council property at present however there is funding however for compliance issues, such as the disabled toilet in the hall.There is not funding for council signage however there is for traffic compliance.
Strategic planning across the MCC area has been in progress for some time to bring all of the council areas under one policy, the rural strategy, zoning strategy,greening strategy and a halls policy are examples.
The list of works for North Arm Cove has been maintained and a table was posted this week of the works listed for the Cove. The pressure to get these works done needs to be maintained. Thank you to all in the Cove who have recently joined NACRA and of course the long term members. We look forward to continuing our efforts in parallel with the new way of doing business with MCC.
Jim Parnell President and Maria Pickles Secretary,
