Time set aside for levy reaction

A section of two Gosford Council City Management Plan Workshops has been set aside for public reaction to the Peninsula Business Levy.

The first workshop will be conducted between 10am and noon on May 2on the first floor of Gosford Council's administration building at Mann St, Gosford.

The second will be held at council's Erina Centre at Erina Fair, between 6.30pm and 8.30pm on the same day.

Information about the date and locations of the meetings was requested by Cr Terri Latella at council's April 5 meeting.

Director of corporate development Mr Terry Thirlwell later provided the dates and venues of the two meetings.

Mr Thirlwell said that the RSVP to the meetings would now be due by Wednesday, April 20, which was different to the date sent to businesses on the Peninsula.

All businesses on the Peninsula were to receive invitations to the workshops.

Any objections raised at the meeting would be recorded as an objection and sent to the Minister along with the levy proposal, said Mr Thirlwell.

He said that council had sent out a questionnaire to businesses on the Peninsula asking about their acceptance or objection to the levy.

"We are getting information back from people saying they are objecting," Mr Thirlwell said.

"Some people are saying there is a ground swell of objection to the levy, but we aren't hearing from businesses."

Mr Thirlwell said that in keeping with good governance, council had decided to put out the survey to validate the comments.

Lyle Stone, April 11 Council agenda Q.42, April 5