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Collapse Issue 518:<br />3 May 2021<br />_____________Issue 518:
3 May 2021
_____________
Collapse  NEWS NEWS
Council plans to sell Peninsula land
Tesch speaks against carpark sale
GUST welcomes consultation on park sale plans
Council budgets $13 million for the Peninsula
Government announces public inquiry into council
NSW Opposition calls for 'broad inquiry' into council
Council inquiry terms of reference released
Vietnam Vets join impromptu march to memorial
Local Member at Anzac ceremonies
Biscuit theme for Anzac Day
Search and rescue training for the Bays brigade
More bike storage needed at station, says Tesch
Bike paths should 'go all the way', says user group
Safety needed to walk or cycle to school, says Tesch
Bingo at Ettalong on Wednesdays
Umina CWA wins cookery trophy
CWA branch makes bereavement bags
Storm debris clean-up continues
Dunes planted with 2000 new plants
Guides hear of importance of speaking up
Lions accept entries for tea cosy show
Second driest April in 16 years
Collapse  PLANNING PLANNING
Application to modify three-storey Blackwall Rd plan
Two more townhouse proposals for Warrah St
Council sets strategic planning priorities
Panel appointments extended
Invalid application
Collapse  FORUM FORUM
Memorial Ave land provides significant habitat
Trees and cool open space are of more public benefit
Outrageous that local park sale is on agenda again
Contentment of ad hoc Anzac march
Leave wooded block intact for a hotter future
Bush parkland was reason for buying in Blackwall
'Improved planning outcome' test may still be subjective
Democracy should never be put on hold
Distress at sale of land and other council assets
Sell-off should be paused for much deeper inquiry
Collapse  HEALTH HEALTH
Aged care providers jointly call for government action
Collapse  ARTS ARTS
Folk club holds house concert
Patchwork group completes many projects
Collapse  EDUCATION EDUCATION
Variety Night performances to be held over two nights
School opens gates to parents for student pick-up
Annabelle wins four Australia athletics medals
Students congratulated on Anzac speeches
Catafalque party at Anzac assembly
Geography students study coastal processes
Secondary students investigate global warming
Umina starts enrolments for next year's kindergarten
Life membership for former childcare employee
Shadow Minister meets parents' groups
Collapse  SPORT SPORT
Ettalong Eagles firsts lead in pennant season
Umina pennant bowls results
Boxing starts again at PCYC
Bridge club holds special events
Bridge lessons for beginners
Diggers' Day at bowls clubs
Netball draw updated
Softball club to hold annual meeting
Goalkeeper training starts for Umina United
Coaches wanted for junior touch
The Lakes proved too strong for the Lions
Defeated in all grades
Netball association splits Junior Blue grade
Trial game at Woy Woy
Bowling clubs to vote on unification proposal

EXTRA!!!

Distress at sale of land and other council assets

I am writing to you to express my distress, about the proposed reclassification and sale of land and other assets under the so called Efficiencies and Sales Project that was on the agenda of the Council April 27 meeting.

This, at a time when the world needs more green spaces and more space for community use.

Council is the custodian of our community spaces, parks and natural environment and should not be so eager to convert this scarce and precious resource, in order to pay down debt.

Individual residents or community groups donated or identified much of the land referred to and classified as Community Land in the belief that we, the residents, will enjoy this land through perpetuity, with Council being the custodian on our behalf.

Our community land is priceless.

It was never the intention that this land was "money in the bank" to be drawn on when needed.

It is not to be sold off at such short notice, especially while our democratically elected representatives are suspended and unable to speak to our concerns.

Furthermore, the speed, lack of consultation or transparency about these proposed sales make a mockery of the idea of democratic decisions or community consultation.

I believe that there will be strong opposition to the reclassification and sale of any conservation, open space and recreational land as occurred in 2016 when Council tried to sell off many of our small parks and open spaces.

I am particularly concerned about the proposed sale of 23-23a Memorial Ave, Blackwall, and the mobile home park in Ettalong.

The sale of the land at Blackwall is not in the community interest as it provides significant habitat for a range of species, provides a key role in cooling the surrounding area and also serves a significant flood storage and absorption function.

Given the recommendations in Council's own draft Greener Places Strategy and the significant heat island effect identified at Woy Woy, it makes no commercial or community sense to sell this land for development.

It is not correct that the vegetation on these lots is not habitat for threatened species. Paperbarks (melaleuca quinquenervia) and other species on this site are a key food species for the nationally and state listed vulnerable grey-headed flying fox.

See this recent foraging habitat report https://datasets.seed.nsw.gov.au/dataset/flying-fox-foraging-habitat-2019.

The National Recovery Plan was adopted in March.

This land has been in Council hands since the 1950s and although not needed for its original purpose is one of only a few areas of natural lowland vegetation in this area.

It is incumbent on Council to protect this remaining vegetation and rezone it for conservation and passive recreation.

The Ettalong mobile home park provides affordable housing for over 100 households.

We have a dearth of affordable housing on the Coast in general and on the Peninsula in particular.

Once sold, this site will only be guaranteed to house these households until 2029. Then it can be expected that residents will have to pay a lot of money to move their mobile homes and I think you need to consider where they will move them too.

To base our financial plan on asset sales is, I believe, foolhardy and it is not an approach many in the community will support.





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