Council Decided - 1 August 2017
This meeting was the last for the current Council. The next meeting will be held following the Council Election on 9 September 2017.
End of Term Thanks to Councillors, Staff and the Mosman Community
Presiding over his final Council meeting, Mayor Peter Abelson recorded his thanks to fellow Councillors, staff and community members for their exceptional contribution to Mosman over the past five years. In so doing, the Mayor made reference to preliminary results from Mosman’s latest Community Survey, conducted in June/July this year, which indicates strong levels of community connectedness and satisfaction with Council services. The full Mayoral Minute is available here.
Council’s end of term report, the MOSPLAN Review 2012-2017, was also presented to the meeting and can be viewed here.
Abandonment of Forced Amalgamations
Council unanimously endorsed a Mayoral Minute on the issue of forced amalgamations, in which Mayor Abelson expressed his delight with the NSW Premier’s recent decision not to proceed with forced amalgamations in metropolitan Sydney and thanked all those involved in Mosman’s successful fight for independence.
It was agreed that Council write to the Premier and Minister for Local Government thanking them for not proceeding with the forced merger of Mosman with North Sydney and Willoughby and for recognising that many local communities including Mosman support the retention of smaller councils who can best represent their interests.
The Premier and Minister will also be advised that Mosman Council looks forward to working constructively and productively with the NSW Government on matters of regional significance in the months and years ahead.
Given the recent decision not to proceed with forced amalgamations, it was further resolved by Council not to proceed with the Poll on this issue previously proposed in conjunction with the September 9 Council Election.
Community Grants 2017/18
Council resolved to allocate more than $57,000 to community organisations as part of its 2017/18 Community Grants Program. Under this year’s program, 28 organisations will receive funding, with money being allocated to a wide variety of projects and activities including musical performances, training, coaching and awareness programs, technology upgrades, infrastructure improvements and equipment upgrades, and heritage projects..
Council also resolved to review the funding guidelines for its Community Grants Program and to seek further information on options for use of unexpended grant funding.
Balmoral Promenade Improvement Works
Council is currently undertaking an extensive improvement program along the Balmoral Promenade. It was resolved that the current promenade replacement works be further enhanced by use of a stain repellent treatment on the footpath, as well as upgraded pedestrian lighting in Balmoral Reserve.
Mosman Development Assessment Panel
Council resolved to formally thank the current members of the Mosman Development Assessment Panel (MDAP) for their service to the Mosman community over this Council term. It was also resolved that members of the MDAP be reappointed for a further two years.
Despite proposed changes to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 amending the name of Independent Hearing and Assessment Panels to ‘Local Planning Panels’, Council unanimously resolved that the current name of the Mosman Development Assessment Panel be retained.
Spit Erosion Protection Works
In order to address the erosion problem at Spit East Council resolved to enter into a contract for erosion protection works at this location. Additional streetscape upgrade works at The Spit will be the subject of a further report to Council later this year.
Urban Forest Management Policy
In June this year Council resolved to place a draft Urban Forest Management Policy on public exhibition and the draft policy was subsequently exhibited from mid June to mid July 2017. Following consideration of a further report on this issue, including community feedback received, it has been resolved that the Urban Forest Management Policy be adopted. This new policy represents the consolidation of various tree-related policies and aims to provide clarity, easier access and transparency for both staff and members of the community when managing trees in Mosman.