Patricia Hellier - 8 March 2016

Patricia Hellier made the following comments in the Public Access Session at the Ordinary Council Meeting 8 March 2016.

1. Given the recent announcement that Singapore Airlines will commence 4 flights a week to Canberra Airport from September 2016 has this Council given any thought to capitalise and encouraging tourism to this Shire and perhaps put a package together that would include accommodation outlets and tourist attraction?

In June last year at a meeting there was a suggestion that a Eurobodalla Expo was going to be conducted in Canberra in November 2015 – this did not occur – is this on the Agenda for 2016?

2. In July 2015 I received an email from the General Manager inviting Eurobodalla Concerned Citizen’s to attend a meeting on 27th July 2015 for the Eurobodalla Shire Community Engagement Frame Work consultant Natalie Boyd from KJA Consultant conducted the meetings – is there a report available from these meetings and if so will the rate payers of this shire be given access to the report?

3. At a Community Forum Meeting in October 2015 there was an undertaking given that there would be an afterhours telephone number placed on the public toilets in this shire, I believe an order has been place, that was 5 months ago when will this undertaking be finalised?

I read recently in the newspaper that there is a review of the cleaning schedules of the public toilets – last week while I was away I received a phone call from a concerned resident to say that the Urinal in the public toilets at Casey’s Beach has been out of order for about 3 weeks, along with the BBQ – given that I was I asked the person to contact council – I would have thought that part of the duties of the cleaners would be to report such problems to Council with Easter fast approaching I would hope this issue and the cleanness of the public toilet would be top priority.

Wingercarrabie Shire Council has established a successful free recycle outlet which has provided employment in the area, the outlet will accept paints, gas bottles and many other items this has helped eliminate the dumping of rubbish – many of these items are then on sold, perhaps it would be in the interest of the Eurobodalla Shire Council to look into a similar concept.

Council's Reply

Set out below are your questions, with responses provided to each.

1. Given the recent announcement that Singapore Airlines will commence four flights a week to Canberra Airport from September 2016 has this Council given any thought to capitalise and encourage tourism to this Shire and perhaps put a package together that would include accommodation outlets and tourist attractions?

Council staff have been working with key stakeholders in Canberra for the past few years to ensure that Eurobodalla is well positioned for tourism and economic development opportunities at Canberra International Airport.

Council has kept the community and the tourism industry informed about its continued work and position through:

1. Tourism Newsletters on 19 February and 7 March 2016 - excerpts below.
www.esc.nsw.gov.au/home/news-and-events/newsletters/tourism-news

2. Media release 28 January 2016: Mayor urges local business to capitalise on Singapore Airlines flights out of Canberra
/www.esc.nsw.gov.au/home/news-andevents/media-releases

3. Mayor’s column 15 February 2016 – Airport opportunities open up
http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/inside-council/council/councillors/councillor-lindsay-brown/mayors-column/column-posts/2016-column-posts/airport-opportunities-open-up

2. In June last year at a meeting there was a suggestion that a Eurobodalla Expo was going to be conducted in Canberra in November 2015 – this did not occur – is this on the Agenda for 2016?

Council’s Business Advisory Committee initiated an idea that they would host, with Council providing administrative and financial support, an expo in Canberra for developers and builders to showcase Eurobodalla being Open for Business. The committee member driving this initiative subsequently resigned from the committee and left the area, and Council is considering whether the concept can be progressed as part of the Integrated Economic Growth and Development strategy.

3. In July 2015, I received an email from the General Manager inviting Eurobodalla Concerned Citizens to attend a meeting on 27 July 2015 for the Eurobodalla Shire Community Engagement Framework consultant Natalie Boyd from KJA Consultant conducted the meetings. Is there a report available from these meetings and if so will the rate payers of this Shire be given access to the report?

Representatives from a number of community groups, including Eurobodalla Concerned Citizens, were invited to talk with KJA consultants, who are developing a communityengagement framework for Council.

The consultants have incorporated feedback from these community representatives, as well as Councillors and staff, into a Draft Community Engagement Framework for Council. Council adopted the Community Engagement Charter and Community Engagement Framework at its meeting on 14 February 2017. For further information on the Community Engagement Framework please visit Council’s website at http://www.esc.nsw.gov.au/inside-council/contacts/your-say/community-engagement-framework

4. At a community Forum Meeting in October 2015 there was an undertaking given that there would be an afterhours telephone number placed on the public toilets in this Shire, I believe an order has been placed, that was five months ago when will this undertaking be finalised?

I read recently in the newspaper that there is a review of the cleaning schedules of the public toilets – last week while I was away I received a phone call from a concerned resident to say that the Urinal in the public toilets at Casey’s Beach has been out of order for about 3 weeks, along with the BBQ – given that I was away I asked the person to contact council – I would have thought that part of the duties of the cleaners would be to report such problems to Council with Easter fast approaching I would hope this issue and the cleanness of the public toilet would be top priority.

Wingecarribee Shire Council has established a successful free recycle outlet which has provided employment in the area, the outlet will accept paints, gas bottles and many other items this has helped eliminate the dumping of rubbish – many of these items are then on sold, perhaps it would be in the interest of the Eurobodalla Shire Council to look into a similar concept.

The responses to point 3 of your questions are as follows:

After hours telephone number placed on the main public toilets in shire

We have recently installed signage in public toilets at the following locations:

  • Clyde Street, Batemans Bay
  • Corrigans Beach, Batehaven
  • Apex Park, Moruya
  • Riverside Park, Moruya
  • Russ Martin Park, Moruya
  • Quota Park, Narooma
  • Canty Street, Narooma
  • Rotary Park, Narooma

We will be evaluating the effectiveness of the signs including how the date cleaned is working.

Urinal in public toilets at Caseys Beach

  • Caseys Beach toilet is cleaned daily, all year round.
  • Council’s records show that the contractor has been regularly reporting defects with 23 defects recorded since July 2015, including three blockages to urinals.
  • The latest report by the contractor on a blocked urinal was on 28 February 2016 which was rectified on the same day.
  • Council also received a customer service request on 7 March 2016. The crew attended and found a minor blockage which was cleared on the same day.

BBQ at Caseys Beach

  • The BBQ was identified as being out of order by Council’s crew and a sign placed to advise the public.
  • A caller advised Council on 7 March 2016 that the BBQ was out of order and had been out of order for several weeks.
  • The customer was phoned on 9 March 2016 to advise that we were aware that the BBQ was out of order and that we had arranged for a specialist contractor to provide advice, however voice mail only allowed a text message response.
  • The customer was again contacted on 11 March 2016 and informed that the main control panel is not functioning and we are sourcing a replacement.
  • The BBQ was repaired once the part was delivered and was working on 21 March 2016.

Recycling facilities

In regard to your comments about a recycling facility at Wingecarribee Shire Council, I am happy to advise that Council is in the process of providing a similar facility at the Surf Beach Waste Management Facility.

Council was successful in obtaining $237,424 grant funding from the NSW EPA Waste Less Recycle More Initiative, Improved Systems for Household Problem Wastes – Community Recycling Centres, round 3. The grant is to construct a facility to provide a drop off in the Eurobodalla for problem wastes (oil and water based paints, gas bottles, fluorescent globes and tubes, household batteries, vehicle batteries, motor and cooking oil). Some of these items, notably paints and gas bottles, currently can only be disposed of through the annual household chemical cleanout. When the community recycling centre facility is completed it will provide this service to the community all year round.

Development consent for the proposed facility has been obtained and Council is currently finalising the tender process for the construction of the facility. The construction is planned to be completed by the end of 2016.