Clarence Valley Council held its monthly Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday, 15 July 2023 at Grafton Council Chambers. Two Notices of Motion were considered, followed by six of 19 items debated and the other 13 adopted by consent in a meeting which lasted one hour and 28 minutes.
- Watch recording of July 2023 Clarence Valley Council Meeting
- View the July meeting Agenda and Minutes here
- Revisit the June 2023 CVC meeting
⬛️ Overview of Councillor Listening Tours
Councillors have been busy in recent months visiting communities in the Clarence Valley as part of the Councillor Listening Tours.
Councillors visited Iluka, Woombah, Chatsworth and Tullymorgan in May, Minnie Water in June, and Tucabia and Brooms Head in July. A detailed account of the issues raised and discussed at each location can be viewed on pages 20 and 21 of the meeting Business Paper.
The Councillor Listening Tours were organised on the back of a Mayoral Minute in April 2022 as a means of enabling the elected councillors to connect with and listen to the 'hard to reach' constituents across the various towns, villages, and localities in the Clarence Valley LGA.
Please add these Councillor Listening Tour dates to your diary if you live in one of the following areas:
- Jackadgery: 9.30-11am Tuesday, 12 September at Jackadgery Public Hall
- Ramornie: 11.30am-1pm Tuesday, 12 September at Mt Ramornie RFS
- Waterview Heights: 2-3.30pm Tuesday, 12 September at South Hampton RFS
- Copmanhurst: 9-10.30am Tuesday, 17 October at Copmanhurst & District War Memorial Hall
- Junction Hill: 11am-12.30pm, 17 October at Barnier Park
- Ulmarra: 1.30-3pm Tuesday, 17 October at Ulmarra RFS
⬛️ Council switches to first generation anticoagulant rodenticides
Clarence Valley Council has changed its operational rodent management practice to reduce the impact on native wildlife. Council has discontinued the purchase of second generation anticoagulant rodenticide (SGAR) products, and instead commenced purchase of the less harmful first generation anticoagulant rodenticide (FGAR) products.
Because of the time lag between consuming SGAR bait and feeling the effects, rodents can consume a more than lethal dose and continue wandering around – "like walking time bombs" according to Cr Greg Clancy's Notice of Motion in November 2022 which called on the NSW Government to ban the retail sale of SGARs. Predators that naturally eat rodents, such as owls, birds of prey and some snakes, can easily consume multiple poisoned rodents, in turn becoming poisoned themselves.
At Tuesday's meeting, Deputy Mayor Greg Clancy praised Council for its proactive approach to rodent management.
"I'd like to commend the Council staff who were involved in assessing this and coming to such a wonderful win-win situation where we still are controlling those pesky rodents, but we're not killing the owls, quolls and other (birds and animals)," Cr Clancy said.
⬛️ Councillors appointed to attend roads congress
Cr Steve Pickering and Cr Allison Whaites will attend the 2023 National Local Roads, Transport and Infrastructure Congress at the Australian National University in Canberra on 6-7 September.
The theme of this year's congress is "Building communities that are safer, stronger, smarter".
The councillors will be seeking practical takeaways from leading experts and successful council projects showcased from across the country. Councillors will interact with policy and grant program leaders from Federal Government agencies, and learn about the latest trends and developments in road safety, circular economy, decarbonising infrastructure builds, telecommunications and technology.
⬛️ Future of Old Grafton Gaol site on the agenda
Councillors unanimously supported a motion moved by Cr Debrah Novak to seek an update on the rezoning, sale and planned usage of unassigned lots of the old Grafton Gaol from the Minister of Planning and Public Spaces, the Honourable Paul Scully, within three months.
"We don't know what's happening with the gaol at the moment," Cr Novak said about the NSW Government owned facility. "This is just exploratory, to see where the NSW Government is up to with the rezoning of the gaol."
Cr Jeff Smith, who seconded the motion, said the councillors want to see progress at the site.
"The community wants to find out what's available, what's not and what the options are," Cr Smith said. "There's many groups that have put different ideas forward, but let's ... find out what is available."
⬛️ Elsie Crisp Memorial Park assigned
A celebrated mayoress will have a more suitable public space named in honour of her memory following Council's support of a family request.
Elsie Crisp (1895-1968) was married to W.E. Crisp who was mayor of South Grafton (1939-40, 1941, 1951-57) and Grafton (1957, 1961-68).
Public land in Cambridge Street, South Grafton (pictured above) was previously named Elsie Crisp Park in recognition of her years of service to the Grafton community, her church, and numerous community organisations. However, the park has been subject to significant change over the past 50 years including construction of a carpark to South Grafton Pool, and removal of removal of rose garden beds and a playground.
The family expressed concerns that the current condition of Elsie Crisp Park did not honour her memory, and the public reserve in Tyson Street (pictured below) opposite South Grafton High School was identified as a suitable alternative.
Council resolved in November2022 to submit the proposed naming of Elsie Crisp Memorial Parkto the Geographical Names Board, and on Tuesday noted the new name has now been officially assigned.
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