Special Rates Variation
Council has submitted its SRV application to the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART). This application is available to view and to make a submission on. For details, please see the IPART website at: https://www.ipart.nsw.gov.au/Home/Industries/Local-Government/Reviews/Special-Variations-Minimum-Rates/Special-Variations-Minimum-Rates-2019-20?qDh=2. Submissions on this proposal will be accepted by IPART until March 14, 2019.
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Council has received some correspondence on the SRV since we sent out a letter to rate-payers. Please note that council resolved to make the application to IPART at the December ordinary meeting. To comment on the SRV now that the application has been submitted, is by way of a submission direct to IPART.
Visit from Scot MacDonald
Dungog Shire Council General Manager (GM), Coralie Nichols, and I met with Parliamentary Secretary for the Hunter, Scot MacDonald last week. We were also joined by Dungog Shire Chamber of Commerce President, Jenny Lewis.
Scot is doing a bit of a farewell tour of the Hunter Region, as he leaves Parliament on March 1, 2019. Scot has been a great friend of and a pro-active advocate for Dungog Shire. I wish him all the very best for wherever the future takes him.
Workshops
I am pleased to advise that the GM has received a number of registrations for the proposed workshops to plan in the first instance, for the future of Dowling Street and, then more broadly for the Dungog township (I raised this last week when I let you know about the State Government’s requirement for local strategic planning statements).
The dates of these workshops will be provided to those that register. To register your interest in attending the workshops, please contact council at shirecouncil@dungog.nsw.gov.au, or phone 4995 7777.
Hunter Joint Organisation (JO) Strategic Workshop
The Mayors and GMs/CEOs of the 10 Hunter Councils will meet this week to determine our policy and advocacy agenda for the coming year and our longer term strategies.
The work we did last year showed many commonalities between the priorities of the various councils, such as connectivity, both digital and transport links (particularly rail and road), a need for greater access to education opportunities and allied health services and climate readiness and disaster resilience.
The population of our combined Hunter region is around 730 thousand people, which makes a loud voice in Macquarie Street and Canberra. So it makes sense that we expand on our common issues and advocate as one on these issues.
From Michael Johnsen
Local State Member for the Upper Hunter Electorate, Michael Johnsen, this week, encouraged drought-impacted farmers to consider applying for low-interest loans under the NSW Government’s Farm Innovation Fund, following an announcement that the Fund will be boosted to $1 billion.
Mr Johnsen made the following comments: “...Farmers in Upper Hunter will be eligible for low interest loans of up to $1 million to help identify and address risks to their farming enterprises, improve permanent farm infrastructure, ensure long-term productivity and sustainable land use and prepare for challenging seasonal conditions.
This is a welcome boost from the NSW Government considering the tough year farmers in the seat of Upper Hunter have faced, indeed over an extended period, as in NSW the drought began in Upper Hunter. The NSW Government’s strengthening of its Drought Relief Package will provide urgent support for those who need it most.”
Key changes include: providing an additional $5 million for emergency water supplies to ensure towns have access to safe and reliable water; increasing the amount farmers can claim on Drought Transport Subsidies from $30,000 to $40,000 and; providing an additional $2 million to connect people to support services through the Rural Resilience Program.
