TRC Meeting report 22 Aug 23

Here is an overview of outcomes from the Ordinary Meeting of Tamworth Regional Council Tuesday 22 Aug 23

• Council has taken a step towards improving the region’s public art offering by allocating an additional one off $75,000 towards public art projects. The extra budget will address the inflationary pressure to enable the purchase of new public art and the maintenance of existing artworks. The Public Art Engagement Strategy is currently being drafted and once finalised will provide guidance and recommendations on permanent budgets. Public Art which includes sculptures, statues, monuments, memorials, street furniture, landscaping and murals, plays a critical role in place making and adds to the cultural tourism of the region; it directly works toward focus area eight of the Blueprint 100 Strategic Plan, ‘A strong and vibrant identity’.  
• Councillors tonight unanimously agreed to defer a development application for the expansion of an existing horse training facility on Spains Lane for 28 days. Councillors considered that it would be beneficial to defer the item to allow additional consultation to occur regarding the recommended conditions of approval, both with the applicant and those residents affected by the development who had lodged submissions.
• Through a motion moved by Councillor Mark Rodda, Councillors agreed to investigate the financial impact to Council should one or more of the buildings at 218 Peel Street, Tamworth be transferred to the Tamworth Power Station Museum and a time line for the transfer of buildings to enable and expedite the expansion of the Power Station footprint into the adjoining buildings.
• Following comprehensive community consultation, Councillors tonight adopted the update to the Engineering Design Minimum Standards which detail Council’s standard drawings and construction specifications. The request for a review of the standards was originally requested in an Ordinary Council Meeting in March 2019; moving forward Councillors also agreed that a full review of the standards should be conducted in two years’ time.
• Councillors resolved to place the draft Urban Stormwater Management Plans for Barraba, Manilla, Moonbi/Kootingal and Tamworth on public exhibition for a period of 28 days. These plans are intended to identify areas where Council’s stormwater management can be improved. This includes improving the quality of water discharged to the environment and reducing risks associated with excess stormwater runoff.
• In an effort to cool and green the region, ongoing tree planting operations are being carried out at a number of locations; Councillors learned during tonight's meeting.  The plantings will take place in a number of locations, including the Australian Equine Livestock and Events Centre (AELEC), King George V Avenue, George Street Dog Leash Free Park, New Winton Business Park, and CBD areas along Brisbane Street between Kable Avenue and Marius Street. The report provided by the Urban Street Tree Management Plan Advisory Group also noted donation of funds from the Tamworth Regional Wellness Network to contribute towards the region's tree planting efforts.
• Council has reaffirmed its commitment to road and pedestrian safety with Councillors approving a number of new safety measures at various locations across the region. Measures include line marking, additional or relocated signage, kerb blisters, pedestrian fencing, pavement markers and pedestrian refuges which will benefit a number of schools, a childcare centre and the general public. These works come as recommendations from the Tamworth Regional Local Traffic Committee with a majority of the measures being funded by the Australian State Government under the School Zone Infrastructure Program.        
• Councillors noted minutes from the Tamworth Region Arts Advisory Committee which amongst other items requested that local artists be considered, where possible, to design the totems that are included in the recently adopted Entrance Strategy. Council also approved the installation of the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ mural on the outer wall of the Library/Gallery which will include more lighting and a storyboard at the front entrance.

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