TRC Meeting 12th July 22

Tuesday 12 July, 2022

Tamworth Regional Council meeting update

Here is an overview of outcomes from tonight’s Ordinary Meeting:

• A packed public gallery at tonight’s Ordinary Meeting witnessed Councillors grant  development consent for a proposed 999-head feedlot on Pendene Road, Loomberah. After a discussion of about 30 minutes, Councillors supported a report recommending consent subject to 38 conditions designed to mitigate the issues raised in public submissions about the proposed development. These included operational and environmental management, noise management, visual impact, water supply and traffic management. Councillors also voted to amend some conditions listed in the report to enhance the performance of the development and further respond to the community’s concerns. Most of the community members who attended tonight’s meeting were opposed to the development with three voicing their concerns to Councillors during the public consultation part of the meeting. The Development Application came back before Council tonight following refusal of the development in October last year and the applicant requesting a Section 8.2 Review of the Determination. A report to Council said an independent consultant was engaged to undertake the review and concluded that the application should be determined by the granting of consent. “In this instance, the Council staff recommendation is supported by the independent review report which recommends that the application be determined by the granting of consent with changes made to the original draft conditions of consent. These changes have been made because the reasons for which the application was initially determined by refusal have been satisfied by further explanation and/or the submission of additional information by the applicant,” the report said.
• Councillors supported a range of road names for the Tamworth Global Gateway Park which use the Australian Aboriginal Kamilaroi language of flora and fauna local to the area. The names – including Bandarr Drive (grey kangaroo), Burruulu Close (fly), Gudu Street (koala) and Dhinawan Street (emu) - have already been supported by the NSW Geographical Names Board. The names were selected and endorsed by a senior Elder and representatives of the Kamilaroi community who are part of the Tamworth Global Gateway Park Aboriginal Road Naming Working Group.
• Council tonight set out its preference for the ownership and operation of the new Dungowan Dam and pipeline should the project proceed. Councillors supported a recommendation for the new Dungowan Dam to be owned and operated by WaterNSW and for the new Dungowan Pipeline to be transferred to Council to own, operate and maintain. They agreed both will be conditional on the pipeline ownership being transferred at no cost to Council and the ownership of the new dam being transferred to WaterNSW as a “contributed asset”. The decision reflects the top priority for Councillors being to further secure our region’s water supply without any huge additional costs being sustained by the local community. A key issue has always been the cost to Council and its customers as a result of the new dam and how this would be impacted by the ownership and operation model chosen.
• Council will give ongoing annual sponsorship to bring a National Rugby League Premiership game to Tamworth’s Scully Park. Councillors agreed to allocate $20,000 each year. On August 13 this year, the sponsorship is for the Round 23 game between Wests Tigers and Cronulla Sharks. A report to Council said: “Due to the significance of the game and the exposure it provides for the Tamworth brand, $20,000 is considered a worthwhile investment as advertising buy into the metropolitan market for a standalone campaign would be cost prohibitive.”

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

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