Clarence Valley Council held its monthly Ordinary Council Meeting on Tuesday, 23 July 2024 at the Maclean Council Chambers. One Mayoral Minute followed by 13 of 27 items debated and the other 14 adopted by consent in a meeting which lasted four hours and two minutes.
- View the July meeting Agenda and Minutes
- Watch recording of July 2024 Clarence Valley Council Meeting here
- Revisit previous meetings here
⬛️ Planning Documents on Public Exhibition
Following the adoption of the Interim Flood Planning Levels for the Lower Clarence River Floodplain at the June Ordinary Council Meeting, a report was put to councillors for proposed amendments to the Clarence Valley Development Control Plans (DCPs).
The proposed amendments related to the Interim Flood Planning Levels to be addressed in all DCPs as well as amendments to the Wooli Village and Glenreagh Village sections in applicable DCPs where flood controls and mapping for those locations required updating.
Our development control plans (DCPs) provide detailed planning and design guidelines to support the planning controls in the Local Environmental Plan.
Councillors supported the officer's recommendation 8 – 1 with Councillor Greg Clancy voting against.
Additionally, Councillors also endorsed to have the Draft Local Housing Strategy placed for on public exhibition for a second time to allow the community the opportunity to review changes made in response to submissions made during the first round of consultation, prior to adopting the strategy.
Councillor Karen Toms called the item to be debated to include specific reference regarding 4 River Street Palmers Island, where the site has been approved as a caravan park, for the purpose of exhibition.
Councillor Debrah Novak also congratulated the community for the 873 submissions received during the first round of public exhibition as well as thanking the 7 NSW government agencies who also contributed to the strategy.
Councillor Steve Pickering also praised the changes that had been made in the strategy following the submissions received.
"It just shows we're listening and we're trying to do our best for the community."
Once adopted, the final Local housing Strategy will recommend actions to implement priorities of the North Coast Regional Plan 2041 and Council's local planning and policy framework.
Councillors endorsed the motion unanimously.
All documents will be available for comment by visiting www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/on-exhibition
⬛️ Update on Regional Aquatic Centre
An update on the Regional Aquatic Centre was included in the July Business Papers with the project continuing to be delivered on time and within budget.
Recent wet weather has resulted in an approved extension of time, however, the project team remains confident will be delivered on time.
Local contractors continue to dive in with the works at the Regional Aquatic Centre located in Grafton.
The installation of the Myrtha modular pool system for the 50m pool is complete and the excavation of the 25m and leisure indoor pools have commenced and the 25m and leisure pools backwash and balance tanks have been installed, while the splashpad balance tank and the roof of the indoor facility have also been completed during June.
Regular project updates have been provided to the Community Focus Group, as well as to the wider community via the Clarence Valley Council webpage, social media and Council's weekly noticeboard detailing project progress including updates that the blockwork for the indoor facility plant room has been completed and the blockwork for the grandstand is underway.
⬛️ Regional Water Supply Agreement
In March 2023, Council resolved to negotiate with City of Coffs Harbour to revise the Bulk Water agreement and establish an advisory committee with representatives from both councils.
An agreement that was accepted by staff from both councils has been finalised and there are four significant changes to the current agreement including:
- Non regional water supply assets are excluded from the proposed agreement. The current agreement considers the storage volumes of both Karangi Dam and Shannon Creek Dam but as Karangi Dam is solely a City of Coffs Harbour (CCH) asset it was agreed to exclude reference to Karangi Dam.
- Maintenance responsibility of Kremnos Pump Station has been transferred to CCH, although this asset will continue to be a Clarence Valley Council (CVC) asset and be operated by CVC.
- Returning of water from CCH to CVC has been removed from the agreement. If water needs to be returned this will be the subject of a separate agreement.
- Reference to the operational guidelines have been changed from mandatory to advisory in recognition that particular circumstances may require a different approach to the outlined in the guidelines.
It has been agreed that the agreement is to be reviewed each term of Council and within 12 months prior to an elections.
Clarence Valley Council councillors endorsed the agreement unanimously and the agreement is scheduled to be considered by City of Coffs Harbour at its Ordinary Council Meeting on 8 August.
⬛️ Ulmarra Sewer Investigation Update
Following community consultation and community surveys, Ulmarra will retain existing on-site sewerage management services and not transition to reticulated sewerage services.
Of the 190 Ulmarra property owners surveyed, 99 responses were received representing a survey response rates of 52.1%. with 23.7% of respondents confirming they were not supportive of Ulmarra being sewered, while 28.4% indicated support for sewering Ulmarra and 47.9% of property owners did not respond to the survey.
In summary, while on public exhibition, Council received a total of 12 submissions with five submissions in support, six submissions opposed, and one submission raising concerns without indicating a defined position.
Subsequently, Councillors reached a common position that due to the low volume of survey responses received that they would unanimously support a motion to not sewer Ulmarra.
⬛️ Council and RSL sub-branch work together on maintenance of war memorials
A motion was heard at the July Ordinary Council Meeting after Council was approached by the RSL sub-branches of Grafton, Maclean and Yamba to enter a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the ongoing preservation and maintenance of the war memorials.
There are over 80 war memorials, cenotaphs, and honour rolls located in various towns and villages throughout the Clarence Valley and these structures are located in parks, reserves, road reserves and various community halls/centres on Crown land.
As part of the Memorandum of Understanding, the RSL will for a committee to act as a point of contact and liaison with Council on matters related to the management of Clarence Valley War Memorials, some of which are managed by Council.
Councillor Pickering moved the officer's recommendation to highlight and support Council's great working relationship with the RSL and to recognise their continued efforts to strengthen these relationships.
The motion was carried unanimously.
