Council lacks advice on promises
A staff report to Gosford Council has suggested information was not available about the status of State Government election promises and budget commitments to number of projects around the Peninsula.
However, a phone call by Peninsula News to the office of Member for Peats, Ms Marie Andrews, has elicited the information.
Progress on several of the projects has also been reported previously in Peninsula News.
The report, published in the council agenda, was the result of a resolution by Council in May to have a report on the development of the commitments made by the government presented to Council every six months.
Projects for which the report stated "no advice received" included:
*
the upgrade of Brisbane Water Secondary College
* the alternative learning centre at Umina
* a $533,000 crime prevention package for Woy Woy
* the Peninsula Community Centre problem gambling service
* funding for the Web Youth Service
College principal Mr Pat Lewis said that the upgrade of Brisbane Water Secondary College, began on Monday with builders erecting safety fences.
A contract for the $5 million project had been signed with ACH Clifford and was due to be completed September next year,
"The DA went through Council late last year," Mr Lewis said.
Peninsula News reported in August the opening by Minister of Youth, Ms Carmel Tebbutt, of the alternative learning centre at Umina for which $360, 000 was promised over four years.
Ms Andrews said that the Minister had also advised her in June that $89,000 had been approved for the Schools Community Centre project at Umina Public School, plus a $12,000 one-off grant to cover costs associated with the establishment of the project.
She said the Woy Woy Community Solutions and Crime Prevention package has been implemented with the appointment of the Peninsula place manager Ms Julie Parsons, the vehicle share scheme, the relocation of police officers and special operations officers to Woy Woy.
This also includes peer education, mentoring and other anti-drug initiatives which is under the auspices of Gosford Council on behalf of CDAT which is to run during Term Four this year.
The Peninsula Community Centre problem gambling service at Woy Woy was funded as promised in the NSW Budget in June this year, said Ms Andrews.
The Web Youth Service had also been funded.
Coordinator of the service, Mr Dion Richardson, said that The Web had received the funds, which went towards employing extra staff to boost the facilities opening hours.
"The funding is at this stage only for two years.
"I want to see it continue on a permanent basis," he said.
The staff report to Gosford Council did mention completion of a three-year program to upgrade the coastal walk through Bouddi National Park as "ongoing".
Council officers also reported that the Woy Woy commuter carpark, for which $4 million was promised over the next four years, was in the design phase, with plans drawn.
Th extension of toy libraries on the Central Coast including at Umina and Woy Woy over the next four years was also in the report, with a sum of $13,353 received for the project.
The report stated that work on the Pretty Beach boat ramp and jetty had started.
"A site survey and design investigation have commenced," the report stated.
"The funding offer is conditional on development of suitable plans that address boating, engineering and environmental issues."
The 320 hectare addition to Bouddii National Park was noted as a promise kept, with 302 hectare addition to Bouddi National Park gazetted.
Alison Branley, Council Agenda FS152, October 30