Crucial meeting to set Council’s future

After a year of numerous confidential briefings and meetings, Kiama councillors are to hold an Extraordinary Meeting on Tuesday 28 February which will lay bare the detail behind the crucial financial decisions they are being asked to make, including the sale of the whole of Blue Haven.

“Next Tuesday we are going to put to councillors an opportunity to change the situation for the better,” says Mayor Neil Reilly.

“We have been caught in the gloom of financial uncertainty for 12 months, and now with the support of staff, consultants and councillors, we believe that we have a sustainable way forward.

“We have reached a point where we know what has gone wrong and we know what is going to fix it – that is going to be systemic change in the way we approach our assets, our businesses, our debt and our community.”

While at the time of writing the business papers have yet to be published, an Open Letter to the Community from Council (see page 6) says the public meeting will cover topics previously confidential:

• the Blue Haven business case

• the liquidity management plan

• the cashflow plan

• repayment of TCorp debt

• the distribution of the proceeds of Akuna St

• the property divestment plan

• the service review scope for commercial services.

“I want people to read the facts for themselves,” says CEO Jane Stroud.

To that end, Mayor Reilly says the business papers have been written in a way that people without a finance background can understand.

“I can’t emphasise enough the importance of the chang- es we are going to make, not only in our strategy in our operations, but in our thinking.

“We are going to be redefining how Council approaches the future.”

Asked what would happen if the course recommended wasn’t supported, he says, “The situation will be dire.”

He is encouraged that councillors are looking at solutions rather than the problems.

“They are mature enough as decision makers to make the right choices to change the direction of Council from a council that is in debt and under performance orders to one that is sustainable and has a bright future, free of a structural deficit.”

People wishing to attend the meeting are being asked to register, so that the venue can be moved to The Pavilion if necessary, given the limited capacity in the Council Chamber.

Councillor Matt Brown, with the support of Councillors Mark Croxford and Warren Steel, has lodged a rescission motion over the decision by the other councillors at the February Council Meeting to reject the Golden Valley Road DA.

The DA, for a 51 lot estate on the eastern boundary of Jamberoo, was recommended for acceptance by staff after a two year process.

“People in Kiama and Jamberoo expect the rule of law to be applied – that is if you comply with the law then you need to be respected by its decision makers,” says Councillor Brown.

“Council has spent over $200,000 in resources on this development and independent professional officers have recommended approval. Councillors need to respect the process and the law, and the work of our staff.

“I expect this would be lost in the Land & Environment Court. Why should Kiama ratepayers have to pay for poor decision making by councillors?”

In proposing the motion now being contested, Councillor Karen Renkema-Lang said the DA must be rejected because it was inconsistent with a number of aspects of the Kiama Development Control Plan and concerns over the way Aboriginal heritage was being managed.

“I do not oppose development in this area, but this proposal in its current form is what I’m most concerned about,” she said.

Her motion echoed concerns outlined in Public Access by the Secretary of the Jamberoo Valley Ratepayers & Residents Association, Ros Neilson, who cited many reasons, including it being out of character with the rest of the village, access and traffic concerns and visual impact.

In response to the decision,

Lawson Fredericks, of the developer Fountaindale Group, said, “It’s very disappointing that Kiama councillors did not support their own staff’s recommendation for approval of the Golden Valley subdivision.

“We have been through two years of negotiation with Council officers and various State Government departments and it’s clear that our proposal is compliant with all relevant policies so this is obviously a political decision.

“We will be considering our position over the next few days and taking expert legal advice regarding our options.”