Clarence Valley Council
October 2019
CLARENCE COMMUNITY NEWS Let your imagination blossom
www.myclarencevalley.com/jacaranda
Every now and then, you just have to stock up on the feelings that remind you that life – and the world – is beautiful. The Jacaranda season in Grafton is a way to plug into that sense of wonder as the streets and parks are transformed into something out of a purple dream. If you haven’t witnessed this beautiful event, mark it in your calendar between 18 October and 10 November when the blooms are at their best. You will be joined by thousands of visitors that flock from near and far to take part in the largest Jacaranda display in the country.
Be a tourist in your own backyard for a day (or two). Enjoy many of the Jacaranda Festival events between 25 October and 3 November, wander the tree-lined streets, picnic in our parks, eat purple food, pose for photographs and enjoy all the magic of this stunning natural event. Even better, bring your family and friends - all this beauty is only a short distance from your home.
Happy Jacaranda Clarence Valley! We hope to see you there. Clarence Valley Visitor Centre Grafton Regional Gallery 158 Fitzroy Street, Grafton 02 6643 0800 Open 7 days 10am – 4pm
A word from our Mayor It is with a heavy heart that I reflect on the 30 year anniversary of the Cowper bus crash. On the 20th of October, 1989, 21 people died and 22 people were injured in what was Australia’s worst motor vehicle accident at the time. There are many people within our community who were impacted by the events of that day. Many of the first responders were volunteers from our local SES units who supported the Police and Ambulance personnel. A contribution to the service to commemorate the 30 year anniversary of the tragic event was unanimously supported by Council. Although the tragedy was all those years ago, its impact is still felt by members of the Clarence Valley community today. I offer my thoughts and prayers to all those who suffered.
Environmental
News
Jim Simmons Mayor
Australia Day Awards nominations closing soon Do you know of a local person or community group that are doing amazing things in the Clarence Valley? Nominations for Citizen of the year, Community achievement, Local hero and Young citizen of the year close Friday 8 November. For some inspiration check out last years winners.
Did you know that the Clarence and Richmond valleys are home to fewer than 50 coastal emus that are listed as endangered? Or that flying-fox are becoming malnourished and undergoing starvation because of the recent fires? Or that some pets are having a negative impact on our native wildlife, particularly koalas?
CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
LOCAL HERO
Susan Howland for her leadership, dedication and life-long commitment to improving mental health services and empowering women.
Don Frame for his commitment and contribution in time and resources to the Copmanhurst Saddlery Museum. George Priddle for actively working to keep the Cowper Bus Memorial Park in top condition.
COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT The Pelican Playhouse in Grafton is a not-for-profit theatre that nurtures and mentors local talent and provides the platform for upcoming actors. YOUNG CITIZEN OF THE YEAR
To nominate visit www.clarence. nsw.gov.au/australiaday.
Our Natural Resources Management (NRM) team are calling out to residents to help them gather data on emus, flying-fox and koalas. Find out how you can participate at www.clarenceconversations.com.au.
Brad Chapman for his passion for Australian military history and his dedication to raise awareness of the sacrifices our past Diggers made.
For more information please contact Caragh.Heenan@clarence.nsw.gov.au
For more information contact Karlie.Chevalley@clarence.nsw.gov.au
You can grab a nomination form from our Customer Service Centres.
Who’s looking after you?
When/how did you start with our organisation?
What’s one thing that surprised you about working at our organisation?
I started at Clarence Valley Council two years ago as a Customer Service Trainee. The traineeship was a career pathway which meant at its completion I would be considered to stay on and become a Customer Service Officer. I finished my traineeship in September and have been offered a fulltime permanent position.
I didn’t realise that in Customer Service you had to know a bit of everything about each department. The amount of information that we need to know, and remember, is way more than I thought I would need to know when I first applied for the job.
What is your favourite thing about your career?
Lucy
My favourite thing is having the opportunity to learn all the different aspects of the organisation. Interactions I’ve had with our customers and our staff has dramatically expanded my knowledge base over the last two years.
What are the biggest misconceptions people have about your position? I believe people don’t realise how much we do or need to know in Customer Service. In my opinion, I believe everybody should spend a day in Customer Service just to get the experience of a typical day.
A message from our General Manager Happy Jacaranda! I hope you’re all enjoying Jacaranda Season. In 2019/20, we’ll be delivering our biggest capital works program since construction of the Shannon Creek Dam. Investment in our infrastructure is important for the viability of the Clarence and as we finalise the Annual Financial Statements for 2018/19 we can see an improvement in the Infrastructure Asset Renewal Ratio as a result. The Infrastructure Asset Renewal Ratio is one of the key criteria by which the sustainability of local government is measured. We’re also continuing to make big changes to our most important processes. Continuous improvement is an important strategy for any organisation to ensure sustainability. The exciting news is; we are now accepting and processing Development Applications or
Complying Development Certificates electronically. This has been an all encompassing project to deliver. It began with surveying you, our customers, to find out your priorities when completing and submitting a DA or CDC. And I’m proud to say, we’ve delivered on those priorities. You can now submit a DA or CDC via the NSW Planning Portal. Or bring it on a USB to our Customer Service Centres. You can pay online when using the portal. You can receive comments and approvals electronically. And of course, you can track where things are up to via DA Track It. Streamlining the DA process has reduced the time taken for approvals, a benefit both you our customers and our staff are
Rates winner We have drawn the winner of the Win Your Rates competition for the 2019/20 financial year.
particularly enjoying. Other benefits being felt include more trust in the process with increased transparency and accountability and relief in a more consistent, easier and quicker process for everyone. We’re aware there’s always room for improvement and with this in mind, we’ll continue to refine and listen to where improvements can be made. Ashley Lindsay General Manager
Congratulations Lindsay Nash and Francine Nash of Junction Hill. Get your rates and water notices electronically. It’s quicker, cheaper and better for the environment. This free service will also let you login to the web portal so you can change your email details, retrieve forgotten passwords, view and reprint notices. clarence.enotices.com.au
Did somebody say table tennis?
Acknowledging climate emergency Clarence Valley Council has joined a number of Australian and international councils in recognising the urgent need for change to lessen projected climate change impacts.
Over 350 young people have come through the doors of the Maclean OUT OF THE BOX since opening its door in early July and it’s not just for the table tennis. OUT OF THE BOX is a youth outreach space that provides a safe, inclusive and fun space for young people to come hang out and feel supported. Monday and Wednesday afternoons have seen a consistent flow of young people when youth workers from the New School of Arts (NSOA) are there offering support and referrals to local services if it is needed. This has highlighted the merit in having a youth designated space in Maclean. Prior to this NSOA were working from the Civic Hall and CWA Hall and had no youth engagement. Coordinated by our Community Development Officer, Allira Newton and funded through the Primary Health Care Network Healthy Towns Initiative with a focus on the Maclean community, we are delighted to be able to provide a space to see this project reach its full potential. By the way, the table tennis table has been a big hit and the whole community are encouraged to make use of it. The bats and balls get left out all the time so come and have a hit!
Australia’s climate has already warmed by 1°C since 1910 and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) September 2018 report on global warming highlights the serious risks of not containing global warming to 1.5°C or below. Current projections are tracking for more than 3°C of global warming by 2100. To stay below 1.5°C the IPCC concludes that the world must embark on a World War 2 level of effort to transition away from fossil fuels and start removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere at large scale. Responding to the urgency Council has established a fasttrack strategy to cut emissions by 40% and increase the use of renewables to 50% before 2030. This ambitious strategy illustrates our readiness to stand with other Australian councils and government agencies and lobby for change. The issue is not just for government, everyone has a part to play and we call on the Clarence community to look at ways to reduce their footprint and reliance on fossil fuels.
Contacting your councillors Jim Simmons, Mayor
P: 6645 3083 E: jim.simmons @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Jason Kingsley, Deputy Mayor
M: 0422 828 156 E: jason.kingsley @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Andrew Baker
E: andrew.baker @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Greg Clancy
M: 0429 601 960 E: greg.clancy @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Peter Ellem
M: 0437 303 875 E: peter.ellem @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Arthur Lysaught
M: 0418 662 818 E: arthur.lysaught @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Debrah Novak
M: 0402 404 606 E: debrah.novak @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Karen Toms
M: 0403 195 178 E: karen.toms @clarence.nsw.gov.au
Richie Williamson
M: 0427 457 382 E: richie.williamson @clarence.nsw.gov.au
1 July - 30 Sep
Special Rate Variation PROJECT INVESTMENT $160,000 For more information on these projects, please visit www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/srvinvestment 02 6643 0200 council@clarence.nsw.gov.au www.clarence.nsw.gov.au
$3M