The efforts of Council staff are not always formally recognised, so it is with great pleasure that I announce our team recently received a High Commendation for work performed on the Carr’s Bush Playground located within Fagan’s Park. Congratulations to all of them. Meanwhile, I’d also like to congratulate our residents on making Hornsby Shire the nation’s top recycler of mobile phones. Our Community Recycling Centre collected more than half a tonne of phones last year in the MobileMuster and received a special award for the achievement. Well done.
The combined impact of both our internal design team and our current Play Plan consultation process, gives me considerable confidence that children and families will enjoy first class facilities well into the future.
The June Council meeting also saw the endorsement of Council’s current delivery program. Among many other items slated for our Ward, a push to secure a footpath budget almost four times the previous value has been successful. Footpaths are essential for ensuring safe, continuous access to a range of amenities by a wide range of users. It is often difficult to fund extensive footpath connectivity within the rural area, given the distances involved. However, the improved funding levels will see further improvements filter through.
The coming months will also produce a more concerted approach to improving gateway vegetation. Many of the approaches to the rural area of Hornsby Shire are marred by neglected vegetation. This has resulted in poor and unsafe pedestrian access, poor presentation, impeded visibility and restricted service access. It is important that these entry points receive the attention they deserve and that a more positive first impression results for both residents and visitors alike.
Finally, a number of rural roads have been identified that display unsatisfactory levels of break down and fatigue. I will be working hard to ensure that these roads are not overlooked in future maintenance scheduling
