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July 28, 2016
Your independent local newspaper
Council election needs to be held before September 2017 - Primrose
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Issue 138
Ph: 4325 7369
Dutton’s Tavern redevelopment update
council election needs to be held on the Central Coast before the September 2017 date currently put forward by the NSW Government, according to the state’s shadow minister for local government, Mr Peter Primrose.
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Mr Primrose was responding to questions about how residents could ensure the Central Coast Council administrator, Mr Ian Reynolds, could be accountable to the community for issues such as building a regional performing arts centre and regional library in Gosford, cleaning up the Mangrove Mountain landfill, reclassification and sale of community land, or progressing other major developments in the Gosford CBD. “How could you possibly expect one person to be administrator and still apply the same level of oversite and consultation as nine councillors and a mayor,” Mr Primrose said. “We have been finding that councils under administration have been putting their business papers out late, there has been far less business discussed at meetings and the administrator can’t possibly go to the dozens of meetings and talk to community groups and constituents that former councillors would have gone to. “That is where things that the community was concerned about would have been flagged and where elected councillors would have been able to test out opinions about things and know what to raise,” he said. “Those are the sorts of things that make local government local and whether or not you support the amalgamations, why on earth are the administrators continuing until September 2017?”
Mr Primrose said he had made formal requests to the Electoral Commissioner and the premier, Mr Mike Baird, under the Government Information Public Access Act 2009 (GIPA) asking them to show reasons why the elections for merged councils can’t be held until September 2017.
back to the premier.” Mr Primrose said the NSW Government and Central Coast Council could also provide the community with more information about the cost of the council merger. “We know from the past the costs and outcomes of previous mergers, so the
“How could you possibly expect one person to be administrator and still apply the same level of oversite and consultation as nine councillors and a mayor,” Mr Primrose said. “They won’t tell us…they have refused my application stating it is not in the public interest to tell me why we can’t have elections earlier so I am going to the administrative appeals tribunal,” Mr Primrose said. “Why can’t the continuing merger happen with the oversite of an elected council and mayor? “Be they sinners of saints, the administrators are not representatives of the local community,” he said. Mr Primrose said although the administrator was paid out of council (ratepayer) funds, he was accountable to Mr Baird, not the community. “They are obliged to provide voluminous reports back to the premier; initially it was weekly, but they’ve now scaled that back to fortnightly, but it is not about financial details, it is only the good news stories, so the state government can create positive headlines about its mergers,” he said. “There cannot be proper scrutiny when all the gatekeepers are reporting
department of Premier and Cabinet should be able to give estimates of current merger costs now,” he said. Mr Primrose also addressed questions about how long the community should have to wait until Mr Reynolds had received and analysed reports on controversial issues such as the former Gosford Council’s proposed Land Sale Strategy that could result in twenty five community reserves being reclassified as operational land and sold off for development. “If it was a full council, I would say a month, but you have got one individual, and it is very difficult to expect one person to do the job while they are also engaging in staff reviews and writing reports for the premier,” he said. “The proper solution is to let the local community elect its own local council,” he said. Interview, Jul 20, 2016 Peter Primrose, NSW shadow minister for local government Jackie Pearson, journalist
An artist’s impression of the mixed use development approved for 155 to 161 Mann St Gosford
section 96 application is being considered by Central Coast Council for the $17.6 million redevelopment of the Dutton’s Tavern site at 157 to 161 Mann St Gosford.
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The application will see a reduction in the number of units, increased basement parking and the inclusion of the land at 163 Mann St, located between the development site and the Imperial Centre. The former Gosford Council approved DA47056/2015 in December for a 14-storey mixed use development comprised of a tavern and shop top housing. The development was subsequently acquired from Mr Bob Bourne by Mr John Singleton and the adjoining property at 163 Mann St
was acquired. The latest application to modify the development, now called Bonython, was received by Central Coast Council on May 27 and is currently working its way through a consultation process. Council granted the development a two-year consent, so work will need to be underway before December 2017 to ensure the approval for the project does not lapse. The development will include a tavern, provide new residential opportunities and has the
advantage of being located close to public transport. Gosford Council approved a minor variation in the floor space ratio for the development and made allowances for car parking. Two podium levels will include 15 residential units. Floors three through to 12 will house another 54 residential units and there will be two penthouse apartments on the top floor. Website, Jul 27, 2016 Central Coast Council Find an application, DA47056/2015
The existing Tavern
Office: 120c Erina Street, Gosford Phone: 4325 7369 Fax: 4321 0940 Mail: PO Box 1056, Gosford 2250 E-mail: editorial@centralcoastnews.net Website: www.centralcoastnews.net
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