1 APRIL 2020
C
ISSUE 186
YOUR REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWS
Facilities Leasing and Licencing Policy on public exhibition
ommunity groups and residents who use community facilities are urged to check out a new draft Facilities Leasing and Licencing Policy which is on public exhibition until May 14. The policy clarifies Central Coast Council’s approach to rental charges, tenure, maintenance responsibilities and the process for leasing and licensing existing and new sites. Council developed the new Draft Facilities Leasing and Licencing Policy following an extensive review of the use and management of more than 300 community facilities. During the review process, community engagement was encouraged through stakeholder discussions, workshops and an online survey. Residents said they wanted council to provide and support a network of affordable and maintained facilities and that these formed
Hamlyn Terrace Community Centre the active hearts of local lease or licence terms community centres and will recognise the need halls, senior citizen and communities. There are eight for council to respond youth centres, sports categories of tenant to to changing community grounds and associated which council may lease needs over time, as well buildings. The policy does not or licence a community as the need for tenants to facility or commercial have certainty of tenure if apply to surf clubs or they are seeking to invest seasonal hire or short building. The policy talks about in capital improvements term arrangements, or community facilities the length of a lease or to a facility. The lease or licence which are managed licence which council may offer to each terms recognise the need by staff or Section 355 for council to minimise committees. category of tenant. Mayor Lisa Matthews It talks about the risk associated with the management of its said the review was process for offering a assets and that proposed important to provide clear new lease or licence large investments into equity across council’s on expiry of an existing or onto council owned portfolio of community lease or licence and states that new lease or managed assets may facilities in a consistent and licence agreements be subject to specific and transparent manner. agreements “Our community will not include as-of- detailed between council and the facilities provide right renewal options or opportunities for sport, entitlements to additional proponent. Community facilities recreation, cultural lease terms. include arts and cultural activities, events, meeting The policy says that centres, childcare, spaces, social gatherings,
News
learning, volunteering and business premises,” Mayor Matthews said. “Council is committed to continue to provide community facilities at an affordable rate and to keep them maintained to a standard that the community expects.” She said the new Draft Facilities Leasing and Licencing Policy was a good news story for the community with many organisations providing vital services and programs through the wide range of community facilities that are leased, licenced or hired. The draft policy went to the council meeting on March 9 where the councillors agreed to put it on public exhibition for a period of 60 days to get community feedback. The policy is 18 pages and public feedback closes on Thursday, May 14. You can find it here: https://www. yourvoiceourcoast.com/ community-facilitiesreview Source: Meeting & Media release, Mar 9 Agenda Item 3.3 Central Coast Council Reporter: Merilyn Vale
Work on dredging of The Entrance Channel is underway C entral Coast Mayor, Lisa Matthews, is calling out the politics being played over dredging The Entrance Channel and the “short-term thinking” of Parliamentary Secretary for the Central Coast, Adam Crouch. Crouch wrote to the
Mayor saying that the NSW Government was disappointed that dredging had not started. He said a month had passed since the Water Minister, Melinda Pavey, confirmed a $600,000 grant for dredging and that council staff told him dredging work could commence very quickly. “Council has talked about action without actually taking any,”
Workers and businesses on the Central Coast and around the state are now able to access a range of advice and support on non-health... See page 3
News
The Central Coast’s COVID-19 situation has developed rapidly since our last edition. See page 9
Business
A Central Coast COVID-19 Task Force has been established to help local business through this volatile time. See page 11
Crouch said. However, Mayor Matthews said council had waited five months for the NSW Government to approve a funding grant to support the dredging program. “This was an announcement that was made at the tail end of the floods,” Mayor Matthews said. Continued page 4
Neither rain nor COVID-19 could dampen the spirits of over 180 locals that came together for the eighth annual Black Dog Ride 1 Dayer at Bateau Bay. See page 18
Puzzles page 22
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