TRC Meeting report 28th June 22

6th July 2022

Tuesday 28 June, 2022

Council meeting update

Here is an overview of outcomes from Tamworth Regional Council Ordinary Meeting on Tuesday 28th June 2022:

Councillors at tonight’s Ordinary Meeting adopted the 2022/23 Annual Operational Plan which sets out the service delivery, projects and works council will carry out in the coming year along with the schedule of rates, fees and charges. Tamworth Regional Council will spend a total of $276 million across its general, water and sewerage funds in 2022/23 while collecting $79.4 million in income from rates and annual charges and delivering a $128.4 million capital works program to improve local facilities and infrastructure. The overall income from Ordinary Rates will increase by 2 per cent in 2022/23 including the Additional Special Variation of 1.3 per cent approved by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal. Councillors also adopted the Blueprint 100 My Community Plan 2023-2033 which is our future vision for the Tamworth region. The plan was developed following extensive consultation with the community and captures the wants and needs of the local community.

 

A revised draft Smoke-Free Environmental Policy will go on public exhibition in the coming weeks to seek community feedback about a proposed one-block extension of the smoke-free zone in Tamworth’s CBD and the addition of new smoke-free zones in Kootingal and Nundle. Councillors agreed at tonight’s meeting to proceed with the public exhibition. A report to the meeting said several business owners in the section of Peel Street between Bourke Street and Darling Street asked Council to extend the smoke-free area to the block. Community members in Kootingal and Nundle will be asked to share their opinion about  whether smoke-free areas should be created in Gate Street, Kootingal and Jenkins Street, Nundle. The report said a survey showed 67 per cent of respondents in Kootingal and 63 per cent of respondents in Nundle were not in favour of smoke-free zones in their area. However, Councillors agreed they should be given another chance to have their say about their town being included in the policy. Councillors also endorsed the provision of a recurrent annual $5,000 budget to fund ongoing promotion and maintenance of Smoke-Free signage and advertising. A report will be presented to Council about the outcome of the public exhibition before a revised policy is adopted.   

 

Waste facilities at Niangala and Watsons Creek will be converted to small vehicle waste transfer stations and be staffed when they are open. However, the opening hours and operations of the two facilities will not change until upgrades have been completed at both sites and then the facilities will transition to the new opening times and operations. Niangala will be open Tuesday 1pm-4pm and Saturdays 1pm-4pm. Watsons Creek will open Wednesdays 8.30am to 11.30am and Saturdays 1pm to 4pm. Users will pay for disposing of waste at each facility in line with Council’s 2022/23 Fees and Charges. The decision came after residents opposed an initial proposal to close the Niangala and Watsons Creek waste facilities. The two communities both supported the subsequent proposal from Council to keep each facility open but as a changed operation even though  it was then necessary for a higher annual waste charge to be levied for some property owners.

 

Three of the region’s smaller communities will share in the benefits of funding through the 2021/22 Facility Improvement Fund. Councillors supported a recommendation to allocate $10,000 to the Limbri Public Hall and Recreation Reserve Local Committee to cover the cost of adding a unisex and disabled access flushing toilet, $1,996 to Weabonga Hall and Recreation Reserve Local Committee to cover the cost of a storage shed and $4,105 to Woolbrook Hall and Park Committee to buy and install a barbecue in the park. Councillors agreed for the unallocated balance of $24,453 for this financial year to be added to the program in 2022/23.

For more information, see the full reports at www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/business-papers

  Watch the video report at www.facebook.com/TamworthRegionalCouncil