It has been a year since the current Council term began, a good chance to reflect on what has been achieved so far. Here are some of the headline items….
After almost two and a half years of uncertainty, (caused by the quagmire of the failed amalgamation process), Council was finally able to fill the position of General Manager. We are pleased to have appointed Steven Head, who brings a wealth of experience to the role from his previous positions in private enterprise, local government, and the Roads and Maritime Service.
One of our major challenges was the budget shortfall that resulted from the loss of territory to the City of Parramatta. This Council successfully lobbied and secured $90 million in tied compensation and continues to negotiate with the State Government for the balance of our claim.
Waste collection is the one aspect of Council’s operations that every single resident of Hornsby Shire has a direct stake in. A comprehensive review of our waste strategy is almost complete. A key goal is to see more than 70 per cent of waste diverted from landfill, up from the current figure of 44 per cent.
Council is currently undertaking an accelerated review of our Local Environment Plan with help of NSW Government funding. It will include a full review of zoning provisions as they apply to our rural area.
I am pleased to confirm that Council will prepare a Galston Village public domain improvement plan. The implementation of this plan will only have to follow the Asquith to Mt Colah public domain strategy that is currently in the pipeline.
These initiatives are only scratching the surface of what has been happening overall. Stay tuned for more details as Council’s term continues.
