Woodenbong Road, Bonalbo, closed to through traffic; Detour in place
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$62.5 million draft budget all about community
/in NEWSCommunity is the cornerstone of Kyogle Council’s draft $62.5 million budget, Mayor Cr Kylie Webster said.
The draft budget was adopted by Council on Monday (8 April) night for public comment and will be on display until close of business 10 May.
It provides $21 million for regional road projects including $20 million for the upgrade of the Clarence Way, $3.8 million for rural local roads, and $2.4 million for bridges.
“This budget is all about Council sensibly and sustainably providing facilities and services for our community,” Cr Webster said.
“We are undertaking big projects such as the Clarence Way upgrade, but we’ve also committed to spend an extra $100,000 to ensure our villages are kept tidy and are mown regularly.”
Other expenditure identified in the draft budget includes:
- $1.69 million for urban streets, including footpaths and kerb and guttering
- $1.99 million for buildings and community facilities, including parks and gardens, pools and cemeteries
- $608,879 for library services
- $111,563 in financial assistance to community groups and organisations
- $149,661 for the Roxy Gallery
- $75,231 for pre-schools.
Cr Webster called on the community to view the draft budget while it’s on public display and make a submission to Council.
“We want people to have a say and I’m encouraging everyone to make a submission,” Cr Webster said.
Copies of the draft budget are available to view at Council’s administration centre at 1 Stratheden Street, Kyogle, and on the Public Notices page on Council’s website.
They will also be available at Wadeville store, Woodenbong Post Office, Tabulam Post Office, Cawongla store, Mallanganee Post Office, Old Bonalbo Post Office, Kyogle Library, Wiangaree Post Office, Bonalbo Post Office, and the mobile library.
Submissions close at 4.30pm on 10 May 2024 and can be sent to the Acting General Manager, 1 Stratheden Street, Kyogle or to council@kyogle.nsw.gov.au.
Council decides popularly elected mayor referendum question
/in NEWSKyogle Council electors will be asked in a referendum whether or not they want a popularly elected mayor (a popularly elected mayor is elected by voters at the same time as they elect councillors).
The referendum will be held in conjunction with State-wide Local Government elections in September.
Council resolved in April 2022 to conduct a referendum on having a popularly elected mayor, with Councillors indicating at the time they wanted to maintain a system of wards and the current number of Councillors (nine).
With the election to be held this year, the Council at its 11 March 2024 meeting decided the question voters will be asked at the referendum. It will be:
Do you favour the election of the Mayor by electors for a four-year term with the number of wards reduced from three to two, each ward comprising of four councillors, plus a popularly elected Mayor?
Currently, Council has three wards, with three Councillors in each ward and the mayor elected by Councillors from among themselves — making a total of nine councillors.
However, if the council is to have a popularly elected mayor and still have a total of nine councillors, voters will have to elect a mayor and eight councillors (making a total of nine).
As there must be an even representation of Councillors in each ward, Council is proposing to reduce the number of wards to two and have four councillors elected from each ward.
As well as deciding on the referendum question, the Council at the March meeting endorsed an information pamphlet to be made available to voters which outlines the pros and cons of a popularly elected Mayor.
The arguments for and against a popularly elected mayor as outlined on the information pamphlet are:
The YES case
- Popular election of the Mayor excludes internal politics from the Mayoral Election.
- A popularly elected Mayor can lead Council with considerable independence.
- A popularly elected Mayor is elected by the people and as such is seen as the community’s elected leader.
- Popular election of the Mayor enables the residents an opportunity to consider the candidates’ policies and vote accordingly thus providing the Mayor with an election mandate.
- The possibility of the Mayor being elected “out of the hat” is avoided in the event that two or more Councillors receive equal votes.
- A reduction in Wards will help to better manage any imbalance of elector numbers between Wards.
The NO case
- The elected Council should not have a leader imposed upon them with whom they may not be able to work cooperatively or constructively.
- A change in leadership cannot occur during the term unless the Mayor resigns or dies and then a by-election is required.
- Councillors are closest to their fellow Councillors and therefore have a greater appreciation of their capabilities and credentials to fulfil the role of Mayor.
- Having a popularly elected Mayor increases the administrative costs of elections and by-elections.
- A further Constitutional Referendum would be required if Council wished to return to the current system of election of Mayor.
- Councillors will have larger ward areas, with greater population to represent
To view the full information pamphlet, click here.
You can also pick up a hard copy of the pamphlet from Council’s administration centre.
Works update – 29 February 2024
/in NEWSWorks update – 7 February 2024
/in NEWSWorks update – 18 January 2024
/in NEWSMost of Council’s work crews are back on deck after the Christmas break and work has re-started on the upgrade of Clarence Way, and the Bruxner Highway project at Mallanganee Range.
Work has also commenced on the rehabilitation of a 3.5km section of Ettrick Road.
Council is undertaking maintenance grading on Old Cob ‘O Corn and Duck Creek roads. The grading crews will move to Capeen Creek Road and into the Cawongla catchment once that is complete.
Pothole crews are, and will be working on, Gradys Creek and Kyogle roads and Clarence Way over the next few weeks. Roadside slashing is scheduled for Clarence Way, Kyogle Road and Fawcetts Plain Road.
Flood damage repairs on the Clarence Way south of the Bruxner Highway have commenced and will continue through February.
Remediation work on the Gabal Road landslip is continuing and is expected to be completed last this month.
Work has started on the new bridge on Rodgers Road while construction continues on Askews Bridge on Askews Dip Road, Gambleys Bridge on Gambleys Road, and the new Back Creek Bridge on Kyogle Road.
Blue-green algae alert for Toonumbar Dam
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Works update- 20 December 2023
/in NEWSWorks update – 6 December 2023
/in NEWSPublic Meeting on Fire Ants
/in NEWS- the impact of fire ants and how they are spreading
- how to identify a fire ant nest
- what to do if you think you have fire ants on your property
- new biosecurity rules affecting movement of heavy machinery, hay, soil, landscaping material etc.
Are you getting your community newsletter?
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Works update – 23 November 2023
/in NEWSThree road and two culvert construction crews are working on the Clarence Way project between Bonalbo and Urbenville.
The culvert crews are working ahead of the road crews replacing culverts before the road construction begins.
This multi-million dollar project is expected to take until mid-2025 to complete.
Crews continue to undertake drainage works on the Bruxner Highway at Mallanganee Range in preparation for the pavement works, while work on Kyogle Road has been completed.
Resealing works on Short Street, Kyogle, is continuing.
Maintenance grading is occurring in the Paddys Flat and Dyraaba catchments.
Council’s Jetpatcher is patching potholes on Clarence Way, while another pothole crew is working on Fawcetts Plain Road.
Construction work continues on the new Back Creek Bridge on Kyogle Road, Askews Bridge on Askews Dip Road, Eight Day Creek Bridge on Needhams Road and Gambleys Bridge on Gambleys Road.
Station Road No 2 Bridge was completed this week and is now open to traffic. Work has paused on the new bridge planned for Rodgers Road.
Repairs to landslips on Gabal and Dugans roads are ongoing, while remediation of the three major landslips on Lions Road is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
Contractors have completed Stage 2 of repairs to the landslip under Geneva Bridge and are currently demobilising the site.
Council is slashing verges on Gradys Creek Road and Bruxner Highway and will then head to Findon Creek Road.
Richmond River and Wilsons River Flood Warning Improvement Project
/in NEWSThe region’s flood warning service is being reviewed, and the community is invited to have its say on what improvements should be made.
The Richmond and Wilsons Rivers Flood Warning Improvement Project will make recommendations and fast-track improvements to our existing flood warning service to improve scope and reliability.
upport the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) and NSW State Emergency Service (SES) in providing accurate and timely flood warnings to the community.Assistance for bushfire-affected communities
/in NEWSInquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 flood claims
/in NEWS- which flood you were affected by
- how your insurer has communicated with you
- the outcome of your claim
- any complaints or disputes with insurers
- time frames for claim resolutions
- access to hydrology reports
- flood mitigation measures, and
- your ability to obtain/renew insurance policies after flooding.
Works update – 11 October 2023
/in NEWSCommunity Building Partnership (CBP) grants now open
/in NEWSCommunity organisations across the Lismore electorate are being encouraged to apply for funding in the latest round of the Community Building Partnership (CBP) program which opened last week.
Incorporated not-for-profit community organisations and local councils are eligible to apply for grants of between $5000 and $150,000 to help make their town or suburb a better place to live, work, learn and play.
Grants must be for building, refurbishing or repairing community infrastructure, or for buying freestanding equipment or vehicles.
Each State electorate receives a maximum of $300,000 in funding and applications are assessed against other proposed projects within the same electorate.
Grant applications close Friday, 27 October 2023 at 5pm.
To apply, visit the Community Building Partnership website nsw.gov.au/cbp
Get Ready Day
/in NEWSKyogle Council invites you to our “Get Ready Day” in Mallanganee.
Come along to learn how to prepare your home and property for natural disasters, including how to pack your free ‘Grab and Go’ bag. And hear from the experts, Mallanganee RFS, about the upcoming fire season.
Mallanganee Memorial Hall
Sunday 15 October from 1pm
Works update – 27 September 2023
/in NEWSWorks update – 8 September 2023
/in NEWSInformation on recycling available at community information stall
/in NEWSCouncil will be at the Woodenbong Show
/in NEWSWorks update – 24 August 2023
/in NEWSWorks Update – 7 August 2023
/in NEWSRecent News
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