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Development of a financial sustainability strategy
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A financial sustainability strategy will be developed over the coming months to provide the community and elected Councillors with a guide on how we plan to return Council’s general fund to a sustainable surplus position within a four-to-six-year timeframe.
This is an important step forward in the Council’s commitment to financial sustainability.
This strategy will be placed on public exhibition with the 2023-24 integrated planning and reporting documents for the community to provide comment on.
Council’s current budget for 2022-23 has a projected deficit, which includes an additional $7.5 million to address urgent road maintenance for our local roads. Councillors have indicated they want to see the deficit turned around during the financial year.
The financial sustainability strategy will outline a program of actions in categories such as:
- Service optimisation
- Strategic asset management
- Business transformation
- Financial and budget management
- Alternate revenue streams.
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Waste Management Strategy adopted
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A reviewed waste management strategy, which provides a high-level roadmap for the strategic direction of waste services up to 2030 has been adopted.
The strategy sets targets and objectives to improve the management of waste services in the MidCoast and will be supported by the Reimagine Waste media campaign and education programs.
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Community Engagement Strategy
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A draft Community Engagement Strategy will be placed on public exhibition for community comment following endorsement at the meeting.
The strategy is our commitment to our community on how we will communicate and engage with them and outlines our goals and objectives to improve the way we do so. The way in which we build community knowledge and understanding of our decisions, services and activities and how we involve the community in decision-making is guided by this strategy.
The strategy has been reviewed, based on feedback from the community on how they wish to hear from us and how they like to provide feedback. It will be on exhibition from 5 October to 11 November.
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Feasibility of toilet block for Wylie Breckenridge Park, Black Head
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A report was provided on the potential cost for providing a four-cubicle amenities building at Wylie Breckenridge Park. The report indicates that it would cost an estimated $440,000 to construct, including power, access paths and landscaping.
The identified area, near the proposed skatepark, is not currently connected to the sewer network, which adds to the cost.
It was resolved a report be provided by March 2023 in relation to the construction and funding options of both the skate park and toilet facility within Wylie Breckenridge Park.
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Bulahdelah and Nabiac Showground plans of management
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Plans of management for Bulahdelah and Nabiac Showgrounds will be placed on public exhibition for 28 working days.
The plans were developed in consultation with key community stakeholders and will provide Council and the community with a long-term strategic plan for the management of these important recreational facilities.
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Community facilities upgrades
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Work is continuing on the delivery of 55 infrastructure improvement projects spanning aquatic facilities, boardwalks, pathways, halls, playgrounds, parks, reserves, showgrounds, sporting facilities, and cultural facilities.
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Forster Civic Precinct
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The development of the Forster Civic Precinct, which will house Council’s tourist information centre, library and customer service centre is progressing and is on track for a July 2023 occupation.
A budget estimate for the furniture, fittings and equipment has been developed now the interior design work is completed. This is estimated at $3.5 million and it is planned to fund this from the Forster District and the Great Lakes Wide administration building contribution plans.
There is a $2.1 million variation for works under the construction contract, including the addition of the customer service centre, revisions to the community spaces to allow for greater flexibility for community use and cabling for carpark EV charging stations.
The meeting noted the variation and that it will be funded by loan funding from the commercial development reserve (funded by the rental income from Woolworths Tuncurry).
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MidCoast Reference Groups
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A total of 85 nominations were received from community representatives for seven Council reference groups.
Panels have met for five of the groups and recommendations for membership were endorsed at the meeting for the:
- Heritage Reference Group
- Community Inclusion and Wellbeing Reference Group
- Community Resilience and Disaster Recovery Reference Group
- Destination Management Plan Review Reference Group.
For two other reference groups nominations have been extended to 7 October as not enough nominations had been received.
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| Capital works projects |
A report on the major capital works underway in the transport, water and wastewater area provided updates on the major projects underway, including:
- Lakes Way/Blackhead Road roundabout – work is continuing with the construction of roundabout and turning lanes, project is now due to be finished in mid-October 2022
- Northern Gateway – the concrete roundabout construction has been completed and work is underway on the industrial access road, to be completed in February 2023
- Cowper Street, Taree – drainage and pavement works are continuing with traffic now open both ways from Jack Neal Oval to Gipps Street and one lane for the rest of the construction area. Work on the roundabout at Oxley Street has been scheduled for the school holidays, with work expected to be completed by October
- Likely Street, Forster – reconstruction of 500 metres of pavement, now expected to be completed in September due to wet weather
- Waitui Road, Hannam Vale – reconstruction of approximately three kilometres of road, to be completed this month
- The Branch Lane – work soon to start on a 1.3 kilometre extension of the sealed road, with a completion date of January 2023
- Work is underway on five sections of The Bucketts Way, and four sections of The Lakes Way
- Wingham Road – work underway on several sections of Wingham Road, work at the intersection with Youngs Road has been delayed due to utility service issues. Preliminary work on three roundabouts at intersections with Hargreaves and Cedar Party Road is underway, with construction expected to be complete by May 2023
- Old Bar Road – Redbank Cemetery to Metz Road, reconstruction and widening of 1.7 kilometres of road. Expected to be complete in November
- Work is underway on a large number of projects to upgrade water and wastewater infrastructure across the local government area
- Sewer and water mains renewal projects are also underway at sites in Harrington, Smiths Lake, Hallidays Point, Hawks Nest, Forster, Manning Point, Taree South, Tuncurry, Stroud, Old Bar, Pacific Palms and more.
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