The Wheels Are Turning
A New Local Environment Plan (LEP) for Dungog Shire.
The NSW Government has endorsed the Dungog Shire Housing and Infrastructure Master Plan (HIMP), which includes the Local Housing Strategy, Rural Lands Strategy, Infrastructure Capacity and Prioritization Plan, and the Local Strategic Planning Statement.
The NSW Government will require such plans and strategies before accepting changes to the Dungog Shire LEP 2014. These documents were produced with a $1.89 million Commonwealth grant and involved twelve months of strategic planning, community engagement and collaboration with State agencies.
They will shape the future of our towns, villages, and rural areas under the NSW Government’s Hunter Regional Plan 2041, which requires Dungog Shire to deliver 2400 new homes by 2041. This is quite an ask because we currently have a total of 4,503 homes. The previously endorsed Clarence Town Structure Plan identifies land that can deliver 650 new homes.
Meeting these housing targets will depend upon governments playing their part in funding the supporting infrastructure in order for development to occur in a coordinated manner that reflects community aspirations.
The next step is to incorporate the HIMP into Council’s planning documents. The Dungog Shire Local Environmental Plan 2014 (LEP), the Development Control Plan and the Infrastructure Contributions Plan will all be reviewed and upgraded in line with current legislation.
This will involve a comprehensive process involving further community consultation as each new document is prepared and adopted by Council. And it will take about two years before the Draft LEP would become part of NSW legislation when signed off by the relevant Minister.
RFS Red Fleet
Funding of the NSW RFS is made up of contributions from the insurance industry (73.7%), NSW Government (14.6%) and Local Government (11.7%). Most assets purchased under this arrangement such as buildings, vehicles and fire fighting equipment are assigned to local Councils, which have always supported the work of the RFS and recognize that it is a world leading fire fighting service.
But Councils have been required to record these assets in their financial statements and absorb the depreciation expenses as well as the associated accounting costs. The Rural Fire Service operates the vehicles (Red Fleet) but councils have absolutely no control over their operations, which is unreasonable and illogical.
We are very pleased that the NSW Government has finally agreed to return the “red fleet” assets to the state government from 1 July 2027 and not be accounted for in Councils books.
While this might seem like a “storm in a teacup” this has been a 20 year battle and a typical example of how local government struggles against cost shifting from higher levels of government, which erodes our ability to provide local services.
Your local B Ward Councillors:
James Campbell 0484 599 709
james.campbell@dungog.nsw.gov.au
Steve low 4996 4022 steve.low49@gmail.com
