Cities Power Partnership

HAWKESBURY CITY COUNCIL

CommunityNewsletter

SPRINGSPRING

Hawkesbury City Council has joined forces with over 30 councils across Australia, representing more than 3 million people, as part of the Cities Power Partnership which hopes to slash emissions and combat climate change in our own backyards.

This exciting partnership is a great opportunity for Council to continue to collaborate with the Climate Council, other Councils and their communities to work towards a more sustainable future. This partnership will give Council realistic and effective ways to encourage clean energy technology, energy efficiency, sustainable transport and other climate solutions, all at a local level.

The partnership also presents a number of benefits and opportunities for Council and our community. This includes reducing greenhouse gas production, which will help to limit the impacts of climate change on our natural environment, in particular our World Heritage Areas and the Hawkesbury River Valley, both of which are also important economic and tourist assets. Council is already actively reducing its operational costs through energy and water saving initiatives and we will continue to seek these savings.

In coming months, Council will submit a report recommending five actions for Council to focus upon in relation to activities such as renewable energy, energy efficiency, transport and advocacy. For more information about the Cities Power Partnership, visit http://citiespowerpartnership.org.au

Hawkesbury Mayor, Councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett and resident Sally Perini both drove a Tesla, which runs on an electric engine and has no carbon dioxide emissions, to the Cities Power Partnership launch in Canberra.

Around 80 people attended Hawkesbury City Council, Windsor in September for the rainbow flag raising ceremony in support of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual community and Marriage Equality.

The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Mary Lyons-Buckett raised the flag outside the Council Chambers amid cheers and applause from the community members present. Council is well placed to positively influence community perceptions to increase acceptance, and Council’s civic leadership and support will hopefully send a strong message and help people in our community.

The rainbow flag will fly outside Council Chambers for the duration of the postal survey on Australian Marriage Law until 7 November. A Marriage Equality rainbow banner, paid for by community donations, is also displayed outside Council.

L to R: Councillors Nathan Zamprogno, Amanda Kotlash, Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett, Councillor Danielle Wheeler, local resident David Briggs (who was also celebrating his birthday), Deputy Mayor Councillor Barry Calvert and Councillor Emma-Jane Garrow. Community members enjoyed rainbow cake and lollies that were provided by the Councillors to share as part of the celebration.

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Rainbow Flag Flying

2017

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Fit For the Future

The Hawkesbury community embraced the chance to attend town meetings throughout August as part of Council’s ‘Investing in Your Future’ community engagement program.

Feedback from the town meetings, information kiosks and displays has identified important community priorities for future investment. By better understanding the community’s service needs, Council will be better able to direct its resources and form plans to best suit a community of 66,000 residents across the largest local government area in metropolitan Sydney – nearly 2800 square kilometres.

At the completion of the consultation, the combined feedback has shown that there is a clear preference by the Hawkesbury community for Council to deliver improved services and facilities.

Option 3 the ‘Improve Option’ will provide a longer term revenue solution and will enable Council to respond in a meaningful way to the objectives of the Community Strategic Plan and the community investment priorities identified by residents. It will also fund enhanced asset maintenance, renewal and new works over the next ten years.

At its Council Meeting on Tuesday, 12 September, Council resolved to support Option 3 for a Special Rate Variation.

Council staff will now commence preparing a Draft Supplementary Resourcing Strategy and Draft Supplementary Delivery Program. These will be submitted to Council and then placed on public exhibition, the results of which will be reported to Council towards the end of the year.

For fact sheets and further information about Investing in Your Future, visit www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/-services or call 4560 4444.

Investing in Your Future

Resourcing strategy - info from Suzanne? Ad like size?

Hawkesbury City Council has been has been declared “Fit For The Future”, as written in recent correspondence to Council by the Minister for Local Government, Gabrielle Upton MP.

Fit for the Future is a Local Government reform program by the NSW Government which commenced in 2014. Since 2007, Council has been implementing measures to improve its long-term financial sustainability with a particular focus on addressing the legacy of past decades of under-investment in asset renewal.

This is great news for the Hawkesbury community, after the strong fight in 2016 - when Council and the community united to remain a stand-alone Council when mergers were on the table.

Council will continue monitoring its performance to ensure it can deliver the improvements committed to within the Fit for the Future process, and to continue to strengthen Council’s financial position overall.

As Council undertakes its current cycle of Integrated Planning and Reporting, we will ensure that the strategies and actions identified in the Fit for the Future Improvement Plan are reflected in Council’s new Delivery Program and Resourcing Strategy.

Many residents participated in Council’s ‘Investing in Your Future’ meetings and survey.

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New Pump Station

New pump station at Windsor

Council has invested $1.83 million into the renewal of the Windsor Sewerage Scheme’s Sewage Pump Station ‘C’ using funding set aside for the renewal of vital assets.

The continued and sustainable management of Council’s sewerage assets is essential to ensure ongoing and reliable sewerage services. The 1930s pump station was ear-marked for renewal due to its age and condition, having given reliable service over many years.

The pump station project began in September 2016 and was commissioned and handed over to Council in early September 2017.

The new concrete pump station is 3.6 metre diameter wide and eight metres deep. There is also a new control switchboard and generator, allowing full remote access and control via the internet, and 24 hour backup power if reticulated power supplies should fail.

This new infrastructure will help us to reduce our environmental footprint through resource and waste management, which is part of ‘Caring for Our Environment’ under the Hawkesbury Community Strategic Plan 2017-2036.

Tech UpgradeHawkesbury Library Service has had a major technology upgrade. Twenty-six public access computers, across both library branches, have been upgraded with new hardware and software to improve the experience of library members when using the computers. All computers now run Windows 10 and offer the latest Microsoft Office 2016 products.

The technology in the Deerubbin Centre meeting and study rooms has also been upgraded. New High Definition projectors and motorised screens make connectivity easier, and content clearer than ever. In addition, the Tebbutt Room has had a new Blu-ray player and a new improved sound system installed – perfect for the Library’s monthly movie screenings.

Upgraded computers and touch-screen catalogues at the new service points at Hawkesbury Central Library include mobile devices for staff to assist customers in the Library.

Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium has had a facelift thanks to Council funding and coordinating a full external paint job, cladding renewal, awnings, rainwater systems and a new main switchboard, with $115,000 spent on the improvements.

Owned by Council and managed and operated by YMCA NSW, Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium is a local community recreation centre that offers indoor sports such as basketball, netball, soccer, and even a multi-sports program. It also offers recreational gymnastics, holiday sports clinics, space for events, market stalls, national, state and local sporting tournaments.

The Stadium also has an outdoor dining area with a shade sail to enjoy the spring weather, as well as a car park with night lighting. The Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium is located at 16 Stewart Street, South Windsor. Call 4587 8788 for opening hours and more information or visit www.ymcansw.org.au/centres/hawkesbury-stadium

Stadium Facelift

Congratulations to all the winners of the 2017 Local Business Awards run by Precedent Productions Pty Ltd. including Business Person of the Year, Karen Lebsanft of Kurrajong Kitchens. Visit https://thebusinessawards.com.au

Local Business Awards

Max Olsson, Centre Manager of the Hawkesbury Indoor Stadium and Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett outside the Stadium which had its exterior fully repainted.

Good Az Gold Bus Transfers won the Access and Inclusion Award sponsored by Council, pictured with Access and Inclusion Committee Member Kirsty Carpenter (far left), Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett (second left) and Deputy Mayor Barry Calvert (far right).

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Contact us:Hawkesbury City Council366 George Street (PO Box 146)Windsor NSW 2756Phone: (02) 4560 4444Facsimile: (02) 4587 7740Email: council@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.auWebsite: www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au

Printed October 2017 on Impact Recycled Paper. 100% FSC certified recycled paper. Made from Post Consumer Waste. Certified Carbon Neutral and produced by an ISO 14001 accredited mill. Please recycle this report.

If you would like to make a comment on this report please contact (02) 4560 4430.

Save the date

Saturday, 28 October 2pm - White Gloves Session & Curator’s Talk for ‘THE CATHEDRAL OF THE HAWKESBURY’ exhibition, Hawkesbury Regional Museum, 8 Baker Street, Windsor. Join Curator, Rebecca Turnbull for a hands-on session and a close look at some of the fascinating objects in the exhibition. Bookings essential at Eventbrite www.hawkesburymuseum.eventbrite.com or call 4560 4655. Cost $5 - with refreshments and gloves provided.

Now until 3 December PURE GREENWAY - FREE exhibition about St Matthew’s Anglican Church Bicentenary and architect Francis Greenway, Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Deerubbin Centre, 300 George Street, Windsor.

Now and ongoing‘THE CATHEDRAL OF THE HAWKESBURY’: 200 years of St Matthew’s Anglican Church, FREE exhibition. Hawkesbury Regional Museum, 8 Baker Street, Windsor

Now until 3 December STORIES FROM A DARUG VOICE FREE exhibition, exploring the importance of storytelling in Aboriginal art, focusing on traditional and contemporary stories of Darug people. Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, Deerubbin Centre, 300 George Street, Windsor.

Wednesday, 8 November 10am to11:30am - THE HISTORY OF COCKATOO ISLAND, all about the penal settlement on Cockatoo Island, the UNESCO worldheritage-listed island in the middle of Sydney Harbour with author/historian Sue Castrique. Hawkesbury Central Library, 300 George Street, Windsor. FREE – no need to book.

Friday, 1 December to Sunday, 3 December SYDNEY BLUES & ROOTS FESTIVAL, various locations in Windsor. For all the details and tickets http://sydneybluesandrootsfestival.com Proudly sponsored by Council.

Tuesday, 28 November 10am - MAYORAL CHRISTMAS APPEAL - Launch, Hawkesbury Central Library, 300 George Street, Windsor. Proudly run in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Richmond, the launch includes a Christmas-themed free morning tea with activities for young children and musical performances. For more information, call 4560 4460.

Tuesday, 14 November 10:30am to midday - AUTHOR TALK - Judy Nunn, at Hawkesbury Central Library, 300 George Street, Windsor. Judy will discuss her latest compelling novel Sanctuary, where compassion meets bigotry, hatred meets love and ultimate despair meets hope on the windswept shores of Australia. FREE but refreshments provided so bookings essential on www.hawkesburylibrary.eventbrite.com

Sunday, 19 November 10am – 2pm KURRAJONG-A-BUZZGet your pollinator-friendly plants from Hawkesbury Community Nursery, fun games and challenges, honey, kids zone, face painting, dress ups and special guest Dr Megan Halcroft – all run by Kurrajong Community Forum, call Fiona Smith on 0413 191 213 for more information - FREE event.

8 December - 4 FebruaryI Can Sing Paint a RAINBOW - The Use of Colour in Contemporary Australian Art - Hawkesbury Regional Gallery, FREE summer exhibition, Deerubbin Centre, 300 George Street, Windsor.Tuesday, 14 November

2pm to 3:30pm - ORGANIC GARDENING Tebbutt Room, Deerubbin Centre, 300 George Street, Windsor. Hawkesbury EarthCare will show you how to garden organically, including composting, natural fertilisers and pest control. FREE – bookings essential. Visit www.hawkesburylibrary.eventbrite.com to book into a Library activity or call 4560 4460.

Friday, 26 January Join Council for CITIZENSHIP AND AUSTRALIA DAY Awards Ceremonies - FREE event. For more information visit www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au closer to the date.