Forum to be held on rate rise projects

Gosford Council will hold a forum on the Peninsula to discuss its Civic Infrastructure Strategy on March 19.

A location is yet to be decided.

Other forums to discuss the strategy will be held on March 21 at Erina and March 22 at Gosford.

At the forums "an indication of the communities support for the strategy will be taken", according to council.

Council said its website now includes information for the community about the strategy which includes $430 million worth of projects to upgrade roads, community facilities, sporting facilities and the environment across the local region.

Information about the forums and ways community members can express their views on the strategy are also available on the site.

Projects funded on the Peninsula will be the Ettalong Beach Foreshore Enhancement, the Umina Beach Coastal Walkway, the implementation of a skate park strategy, the Blackwall Mountain plan of management, the Broken Bay Beaches plan of management and the Everglades Lagoon plan of management.

Projects that have missed out include the Woy Woy waterfront development, Umina Beach streetscape improvements stages four and five, Peninsula Theatre stage 2 and a Umina Library upgrade.

To fund the bulk of the strategy's projects, council is seeking approval from the Minister for Local Government to implement the rate rise.

The rise would equate to a $40 increase per year, for five years, or 11 cents per day extra, for "the majority of ratepayers".

Community members can review the projects on the council's website at www.gosford.nsw.gov.au/appleaday.

"The Civic Infrastructure Strategy is a result of community consultation, the projects included reflect the community aims in Gosford Vision 2025," Gosford mayor Cr Laurie Maher said.

"This website is an easy way for everybody to be able to get all the information concerning the projects and their benefits to all facets of the Gosford community.

"I encourage everybody to log on and learn about how the Civic Infrastructure Strategy, if approved, will improve quality of life across the Gosford region."

Press release, 6 March 2007 Scott MacKillop, Brilliant Logic