Hardy's Bay residents back rate rise

The Hardy's Bay Residents Group is backing a rate rise in support of Gosford Council's Civic Infrastructure Strategy.

Gosford mayor Cr Jim Macfadyen attended a meeting of the group recently at the Community Church Hall, Hardys Bay, where he discussed the strategy.

The mayor was accompanied by director of city services Mr Stephen Glen, director of corporate services Mr Nic Pasternatsky, finance manager Mr Brian Shackleton and grants officer Ms Sharon Hutch.

The group's communication officer Mr Allan Wilson said the mayor and his council officers were invited to explain how the strategy operated, in which areas should the Hardy's Bay Residents Group work in liaison with the council when seeking funds and what support council would provide in achieving the grants.

"Cr Macfadyen advised that the strategy had been prepared, was now available for study on the council's website and had gone before council," Mr Wilson said.

"However, State Government approval was required to secure its implementation, since it was above the three per cent CPI level."

Mr Wilson said resident group president Mr Adrian Williams asked if his organisation could assist in "expediting a successful outcome" through working with the relevant authorities.

Mr Williams said he was mindful of a possible delay in necessary approval being granted for certain projects, focusing in particular on the "vexing issue" of sediment and fine silt removal in the bay.

"The mayor recommended that the group should initially contact the Minister for Local Government and confirm its support of the Civic Infrastructure Strategy," Mr Wilson said.

"The mayor undertook to closely follow its consequent progress."

Mr Wilson said that a significant part of Cr Macfadyen's address focused on the Gosford City Centre Rejuvenation plans, strategies to further implement the region's water supply and determining priorities which reflected the community's vision for the Gosford Local Government area to the year 2025 as well as the strategy.

"Heading a comprehensive lineup of council responsibilities was the Civic Infrastructure Strategy, which is a set of 54 projects across the entire Gosford City local government arena," Mr Wilson said.

"Relating to sports, the environment, roads and traffic, culture and other areas, the projects will provide a catalyst for sustainable economic, social and community development into the future, with the purpose of benefiting future generations.

"According to an official fact sheet distributed at the meeting, Gosford Council is seeking to fund 33 of the Strategy's projects through a series of modest rate rises over the next five years.

"Under this proposed increase, most people will be paying an extra $201 on their rates in five years' time, with the consequent benefits obviously designed to comfortably justify this increase.

"Mr Pasternatsky noted that Gosford had been recognised as the 'regional capital of the Central Coast' and, accordingly, council had an obligation to 'lift' the city and its environs through the processes of the City Centre plan."

Mr Pasternatsky said priorities had been established which would include a Performing Arts and Convention Centre and a Gosford waterfront upgrading.

Mr Glen assured the meeting that the plans were "widely-embracive" and would also include coastal open spaces, traffic facilities and other areas such as a survey of the Brisbane Waters Plan of Management's sediment removal intent."

Press release, 4 Nov 2007 Allan Wilson, Hardys Bay Residents Group