The next Ordinary Council meeting will be held in Council Chambers from 9am on Tuesday 20 September.
The meeting will be live streamed via and on the Kempsey Shire Council website.
For a full outline of the meeting and the discussion points, please refer to the .
Allowing a shed to be turned into a detached dwelling
A development application (DA2200380) has been submitted to Council asking for an existing shed to be turned into a detached dwelling on Barbers Lane Yarrahapinni.
This particular development does not comply with the Kempsey Local Environmental Plan’s rural and residential zoning as it is not within 100 metres of the existing dwelling. Therefore the applicant is asking for special consent.
As it is 136 metres from the primary dwelling, Council will discuss whether the development should proceed taking into account social, economic and environmental considerations.
Acquiring land for emergency use in Wittitrin
The Wittitrin community and surrounds need a safe community area to meet and connect during natural disasters. Wittitrin Progress Association has identified a suitable location being privately owned land next to the Wittitrin Rural Fire Service shed on Davis Road.
Working together, the Wittitrin Progress Association and Council has engaged with landowners to acquire a lot of land (Lot 20 DP1286858).
Wittitrin Progress Association successfully received an Australia Government of $74,020 to purchase this land.
Council is being asked to acquire the land, classify it as community land, and enter into a lease agreement with the Wittitrin Progress Association who will manage the land and build community resilience for, during and after emergencies,
Code of Meeting Practice
Council will be asked to review and provide public notice of Council’s draft Code of Meeting Practice required by the Local Government Act 1993.
Agreeing on discussion points for the Local Government Conference
The 2022 Local Government New South Wales Annual Conference is an opportunity for councils to share ideas, inspire one another and determine policy direction for the coming year.
Councillors are being asked to support motions put forward by Council which are:
- Accounting treatment of Rural Fire Service Assets
- Development Consent to lapse where work has not been completed
- What is Council’s role and what is your opportunity?
Councillors will consider these motions and consider which motions they wish to support.
Appointing committee and working group members
Council will be asked to decide which Councillors will join these committees:
- Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee
- Australia Day Awards Committee
- General Manager’s Performance Review Panel
- Bush Fire Management Committee & Zone Liaison Committee
- ClubGRANTS Committee
- Local Traffic Committee
- Melville Hall Sport and Entertainment Centre Management Committee
- Mid North Coast Regional Arts Board
- Public Libraries Association North-East Zone Committee
- South West Rocks Sport & Recreation Association
Any election to the groups will be determined by open voting. These will be reviewed after the 2024 Local Government Election is declared.
In terms of the Australia Day Awards Committee, Council will be asked to reappoint existing community representatives Ross Foster, Aden Harris and Melissa Robinson, as well as appoint Tania Powick, Phillip Harvey and Peter Chambers.
This committee will be reviewed following the 2025 Australia Day Awards ceremony
A sustainable and resilient Kempsey Shire
Council is being asked to adopt the Sustainability and Resilience Strategy for the Kempsey Shire.
Council staff developed a the strategy to help residents and businesses be more sustainable.
Through extensive engagement with community, business, government organisations and interest groups, the draft strategy is now presented to Council.
Selecting the right location for South West Library and Community Hub
Council has researched suitable publicly owned locations for the construction of the South West Rocks Library and Community Hub. The high-level analysis shows that there is no Council or Crown Land site that is reasonably suitable for construction when considering the below criteria.
| Criteria | Description |
|---|---|
Planning | The suitability of using the site as a library and community hub in the context of current land use planning constraints |
Environment | The impact that the development of a library and community hub would have on the natural environment |
Accessibility | The ease in which all members of the community could physically access the library and community hub |
Traffic | The impact that the development of a library and community hub would have on traffic flows within surrounding streets |
Parking | The ability of the site to incorporate parking for library and community hub patrons; and the impact on parking within surrounding streets |
Development Cost | The impact of existing site characteristics on the likely construction cost |
Opportunity Cost | The value or benefit to the community that would be lost if the site were developed as a library and community hub |
Highest & Best Use | An assessment as to whether development of the site as a library and community hub creates the highest value outcome for the community |
You can view the assessments of public sites in the .
Council is now being asked to allow nonbinding expressions of interest from private landholders within the footprint to provide a more holistic decision for the location.
Options to be explored would include:
- Council purchasing and developing a land site;
- Council leasing a developed site
- Council receiving land or an asset from a developer in place of a developer contribution.
An update on the Dave Sands memorial
Council is being asked to receive and note an update on the Dave Sands memorial.
At the May Meeting, Council agreed to establish a memorial for Dave Sands and his family who put Kempsey on the map for their boxing achievements.
Mayor Leo Hauville and General Manager Craig Milburn have met with and held discussions with members of the Dave Sands family on several occasions. The key representatives have been Mr Chad Ritchie and Mr Phil Dottie.
Archibald Prize winning Dunghutti artist, Blak Douglas will help create some concepts for the project.
Site selection is still being undertaken and is expected to be finalised this year.
Annual Financial Statements
The draft Annual Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2022 are near completion and Council will vote whether to refer them to audit as required under the Local Government Act.
The audited 2021-22 financial statements will be presented to the November 2022 Council meeting.
Mayor and Councillor expenses
Council is required by law to place the draft Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy on public exhibition for at least 28 days.
The document outlines what expenses Councillors can be reimbursed for and the capped amounts. This includes travel, devices, professional development and meal allowances.
Council is being asked to consider if the draft policy is ready to be placed on public exhibition.
Amended cemetery reservation fees
When Council’s full set of 2022-23 Fees and Charges was adopted at the June 2022 meeting, they included an omission where the cemeteries and burial fees did not clearly reflect the new strategy.
The amended proposed fees were placed on public exhibition with no submission being received during the period.
Council is now being asked to adopt proposed amended cemetery reservation fees.
Order of Business considered in open session includes:
8.1 Local Traffic Committee – Minutes 6 September 2022
9.1. DA2200380 – Continued Use Of An Existing Shed As A Detached Dual Occupancy – Yarrahapinni
9.2. Compulsory Acquisition of Land for Community Purposes – Lot 20 DP1286858 (12 Davis Road, Wittitrin)
9.3. Code of Meeting Practice
9.4. Motions for 2022 LGNSW Annual Conference
9.5. Review of Committees and Appointment of Delegates
9.6. Sustainability and Resilience Strategy
9.7. South West Rocks Library – Site Selection Analysis
9.8. Dave Sands Memorial Update
9.9. 2021-2022 Annual Financial Statements
9.10. Councillor Expenses and Facilities Policy
9.11. Amendment to 2022-2023 Cemeteries Reservation Fees
9.12. Statement of Cash and Investments – August 2022
Speak about items on the agenda
Before each ordinary meeting, Council holds a public forum to hear from members of the community about items on its business agenda. Public forums may also be held before extraordinary Council meetings and Council committee meetings.
Applications to speak at the public forum close at noon on Friday. If you wish to address Council, please see .
