Byron Shire Council

Over the Fence: Cultivating our own Backyard
28 July to 3 August 2008

Local Government Week runs from 28 July to 3 August 2008.The Weekprovides a focus for Byron Shire Council to promote the importance of local government in the community.

Byron Shire Council is seeking the help of the community in identifying vandals responsible for the recent destruction of approximately one kilometre of Dunecare fencing running from MainBeach to ClarkesBeach, ByronBay.

Byron Shire Council staff will be planting approximately 100 trees on the banks of Saltwater Creek at Mullumbimby for National Tree Day.  Council staff will assist Brunswick Valley Landcare efforts to revegetate the catchment by planting local species on Monday 28 July as part of Australia’s largest tree planting event.

Byron Shire Council continues to progress the implementation of the Brunswick Area Sewerage Augmentation Scheme.

At an Ordinary Meeting held 26 June, Byron Shire Council resolved to adopt and exhibit the Draft Byron Shire Bike Strategy and Action Plan (Bike Plan) and seek written public comment by 7 August. The plan has established three broad aims that will be achieved via a series of infrastructure and non infrastructure ‘actions’.

Byron Shire General Manager Graeme Faulkner has ‘rejected out of hand’ comments made by North Byron Shire Parklands (Parklands) in a media release issued by them today.

At an Extraordinary Meeting held 10 July, Byron Shire Council resolved to support a bypass and full interchange south of Bangalow as part of the $500m Tintenbar to Ewingsdale (T2E) Pacific Highway Upgrade, expected to be undertaken by 2010 and completed by 2012.

Byron Shire Council has received advice from the Minister for Local Government that its application for a special rate increase for the 2008/09 financial year of 6.22% has been approved. This increase is above the rate-peg increase of 3.2% previously approved for all NSW councils.

A group of 15 MullumbimbyHigh School students have approached Council for help to reduce the vandalism and graffiti at the MullumbimbySkatePark. The boys, who are part of the Youthlinx program run by Deb Pearse, want to make a difference to the way the park looks.

Byron Girls Group are excited to announce they have been successful in receiving a grant from NSW peak youth body YAPA (Youth Action and Policy Association), for a drug and alcohol educational project for young people which will be held in the next few months. The project was born out of discussion between some of the girls and youth workers, in response to the ‘What’s happening to our kids’ drug and alcohol forum that took place earlier this year.

The NSW Department of Planning granted development consent on 6 November 2006 for a supermarket development in Station Street Mullumbimby.

A Section 96 application to modify the consent was lodged by Woolworths with the Department and placed on public exhibition from 7 May 2008 to 30 May 2008.

The Department has advised Byron Shire Council that the Section 96 application has since been amended and that the amended application to modify the consent will be placed on public exhibition from Wednesday 2 July to Wednesday 18 July 2008. 

Byron Shire Council is proudly offering schools in the NorthCoast region an opportunity to make use of the recently developed Byron Bay Water Management Reserve Secondary Education Programme.

NSW councils have received advice from the Department of Local Government stating that all councils are expected to assume a “caretaker” role during the lead up to the local government elections in September 2008. The caretaker role is designed to ensure that major decisions are not made during this period which would limit the actions of an incoming council.

Mayor Jan Barham today urged all local not-for-profit organisations to consider nominating their most dedicated workers for the 2008 NSW Volunteer of the Year Award.

In 2006-2007 Council reviewed its current Disability Access Plan, to develop a revised plan to guide further improvements to access and inclusion. The draft Disability Access and Inclusion Plan has been compiled in consultation with Council’s Access Committee, community stakeholders, Council officers who will have responsibility for delivering key actions, and other interested community members.

Byron Shire Council is inviting public comment on its Northern Shire Sporting Fields Draft Strategy.

A recent biological monitoring study of Tallow and Belongil Estuaries indicates the health of both systems is improving after the changes made to effluent discharges in ByronBay following completion of the Byron Bay Sewage Augmentation Scheme.

Council wishes to advise that a public meeting will be held on Tuesday 17 June 2008 at the Byron Bay Surf Club, Bay Street, ByronBay, commencing at 5.00pm to discuss the status of the Lighthouse Road repairs and boardwalk reinstatement.

Have you just turned 18 or are you a new resident in Byron Shire?  Do you own property in Byron Shire but do not live here?

If so, you will need to get your name on the electoral roll, or ensure your current address is listed on the roll, before 4 August to be able to vote in the local government election for Byron Shire, being held on 13 September this year.

With assistance from a Federal Government Community Water Grant, Byron Shire Council has recently planted nearly 4,000 trees and shrubs within the award winning Bryon Bay Integrated Water Management Reserve.