It has been a busy month on Council, with many issues before us, beginning with consolidating our position on climate change. After considering a range of contributions from both our Council officers and the community, Council resolved to acknowledge the impact of climate change and to commit to fulfil its obligations. In particular, it was satisfying to learn that our past, present and projected environmental and waste initiatives are ahead of the curve in terms of what may be achieved at a local level.
Although the new North West Metro has exceeded all expectations, in terms of a stateof- the-art transport option, concerns over parking and corresponding bus services exist. I’ll be working with Council colleagues and NSW Government Ministers to ensure that those of us in the rural area have solid connectivity options to this new service.
Our public engagement program has been a resounding success, with the Galston Village pop-up stall demonstrating the best levels of participation. It has been a little confusing, given the number of drafts currently on exhibition. However, input into the Galston Village public domain, Rural Lands Review and the over-arching Local Strategic Planning Statement has been well received. I thank all of those who have participated in making their views known.
Last month was also the time that we acknowledged the efforts of our volunteer services, especially the work of the SES and Rural Fire Service. Given the recent storm events, we are especially grateful for the time and effort put in by the volunteers and their families. The RFS has also launched its Spring awareness campaign, with a view to prepare residents for the coming season and to recruit people interested in participating in the protection of our rural area.
