Gunnedah Shire Council is seeking community feedback on its plans for future development of the Gunnedah Memorial Park Cemetery.

Council is working with consultants from Locale Consulting to develop a masterplan of the whole cemetery site, which includes expansion opportunities on undeveloped land on the southern side of the site.

Two draft concept plans have been presented and the local community is now invited to consider the options and provide feedback through a survey. This can be accessed at Surveys & Polls - Gunnedah Shire Council (nsw.gov.au) and feedback must be submitted by 28 June 2024.

At the conclusion of this consultation period a Final Masterplan will be drawn up and placed on public exhibition for further comment.

23 May, 2024

Gunnedah Shire Council is pleased to open the Section 356 Access Incentive Small Grants Round, aimed specifically at supporting local businesses and community groups to enhance access within their premises.

A grant of up to $2,000 (GST exclusive) is available to each successful applicant for relevant projects that encourage innovative access actions.

Projects may include the installation of an access ramp to the business or shop front, redesign of marketing collateral such as menus to appeal to a broader demographic, changes to the fit out of premises to enhance manoeuvrability, and safe access and safety for prams, wheelchairs, and people with temporary mobility challenges.

Applications are required to meet at least one of the following criteria:

• Assists businesses and organisations to meet legal responsibilities in relation to access and universal design.
• Results in increased potential to attract and retain customers and clients with temporary or permanent disability or impairment.
• Seeks to address issues of access and inclusion.
• Improves access for people with temporary or permanent disability or impairment.
• Has an access awareness education and training focus.
• Demonstrates an innovative and creative approach to addressing access issues.

The grant opportunity is supported by the Gunnedah Shire Missed Business Guide which is a valuable resource to assist organisations and businesses to identify potential projects for funding. A copy of the Missed Business Guide is available at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au.

Application forms are available here.

Further information is available by contacting Council’s Community and Social Planner, Debra Hilton on (02) 6740 2100 or council@infogunnedah.com.au.

The 2024-2025 funding round closes at 5pm on Friday 28 June 2024.

May 21, 2024

Gunnedah Shire Council is recommending changes in the areas of crime and justice as part of its submission to the Inquiry into Community Safety in Regional and Rural Communities.

Gunnedah Shire Council was one of a number of organisations, including the Country Mayors Association of NSW, that called for the inquiry, and Councillors last week endorsed Council’s submission.

The submission includes the Crime in Regional and Rural NSW in 2023: Trends and Patterns report released by the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, a report that opens with: “Rates of violent and property crime are considerably higher in regional NSW than in Sydney.”

Key findings of the report include:
• In 2023, the rate of recorded property crime was 59% higher in regional NSW compared to Greater Sydney
• In 2023, the rate of recorded violent crime was 57% higher in regional NSW compared with Greater Sydney
• The major offences of motor vehicle theft, non-domestic assault, sexual assault and domestic violence-related assault all increased significantly in regional NSW over the five years from 2019 to 2023.

Gunnedah Shire Council’s submission also includes statistics based on annual 2023 data from the NSW Police Force that shows crime has increased in Gunnedah Shire by 6.61% from 2022 to 2023. Forecasted chances of becoming a victim of a violent crime are 1 in 95 nationwide, 1 in 87 statewide, and 1 in 47 in Gunnedah.

Following in-depth analysis, Gunnedah Shire Council has made 11 recommendations:

1. The identification of areas including Gunnedah, where the presence of a 24/7 police response is what is needed to curb escalating crime rates and the allocation of adequate resources to those areas. Additionally, there must be a strategy or mechanism implemented by the NSW Police Force to ensure that officers at Gunnedah Police Station are retained and that any vacancies are managed to maintain 24/7 police services or business as usual.
2. Greater education within the NSW Police to strengthen and support officers’ confidence in recommending to the courts that bail be refused in those instances where there is a high probability that the offender will reoffend, or in those instances where the offender presents a threat (imminent or otherwise) to others, in particular women experiencing intimate partner threats, intimidation or violence from an intimate partner or ex- partner.
3. Greater education within the judicial system to encourage judicial officers to refuse bail under Section 22C of the NSW Bail Act 2013 where the authority has a high degree of confidence the young person will commit a serious indictable offence while on bail.
4. The allocation of additional resources to more adequately supervise offenders and their adherence to bail conditions.
5. Tougher penalties for breach of bail conditions.
6. Recently announced legislative reform package including amendments to the Bail Act and the creation of a new offence for ‘posting and boasting’ are delivered.
7. That consideration is given to relevant legislative authorities taking meaningful steps towards legislative reviews that impose tougher penalties and sanctions on social media platforms supporting ‘posting and boasting’ in the name of free speech. I.e., TikTok.
8. The continuation of Stronger Country Communities Fund and the introduction of a new community safety project category to incentivise applications that focus on early intervention and diversionary strategies and capital works projects. The review should also consider reducing the mandatory minimum 50% co-contribution obligations for local government, which proves to be a cost prohibitive deterrent for smaller, rural, and regional Councils with a smaller rate base.
9. The reinstatement of the NSW Community Safety Fund, with a focus on youth, CCTV, and domestic and family violence initiatives.
10. That consideration be given for the expansion of Youth Justice Centres in the North West and New England areas that are able to accommodate girls closer to their families.
11. The retention of the youth focussed roles within Regional NSW and increased funding for Youth Justice Caseworkers supporting young people after they have interactions with the police and justice system. With many providing outreach support covering massive areas, additional places are needed to address demand and reduce burnout rates.

The inquiry is open for submissions until 31 May 2024, and Gunnedah Shire Council urges Gunnedah Shire residents to send in their stories of crime or ideas for community safety. To find out more, visit www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au .

17 May, 2024  

Council calls for reversal of waste tendering amendments

Gunnedah Shire Council will call on the NSW Government to reverse recent amendments to the Local Government (General) Regulation 2021 made by the Local Government (General) Amendment (Tendering) Regulation (No 2) 2023 (NSW) relating to protecting the employment of waste workers.
In a Mayoral Minute to Council this week, Mayor Jamie Chaffey noted the changes, approved in December 2023, were made without consultation with Councils. Local Government NSW sought legal advice that found concerns with the amended regulations.
Cr Chaffey said the new specifications would increase employment costs, stifle innovation and lead to significant cost increases for Councils and ratepayers, ultimately placing a “manifestly unfair” burden on Council.

Submission to request Financial Assistance Grant funding review

Gunnedah Shire Council will lodge a formal submission to the Inquiry into Local Government Sustainability.
The submission welcomes the inquiry, noting local government financial sustainability is one of the top issues for New South Wales Councils, due to constraints including rate pegging and cost-shifting by state and federal governments.
Council’s submission requests:

• Consideration be given to the Australian Government increasing Financial Assistance Grants to at least 1% or more of Commonwealth Tax Revenue to ensure effective, sustainable funding for local government.
• The Australian Government undertake a review of methodologies used to distribute Financial Assistance Grant funding with the aim of ensuring that:
o the “minimum grant” is removed from the general purpose component and those funds are redistributed to regional and rural councils; and
o greater equity is delivered to regional and rural councils in the distribution of the roads component resulting in an equal per kilometre rate across all councils.
You can view the full submission at www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au as part of the May Council Meeting agenda.

Expressions of interest sought for Audit Committee

Gunnedah Shire Council is seeking applications from suitably qualified individuals for the appointment of two independent committee members to Gunnedah Shire Council’s Audit, Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) for a term of up to four years.

The information pack outlining required skills and experience for ARIC members is available on Council’s website at Tenders, Quotations & EOI - Gunnedah Shire Council (nsw.gov.au)

Questions on the role of the Audit Committee and its membership should be directed to Kelly Stidworthy on 02 6740 2100.

Applications close Friday 7 June 2024.

May 8, 2024

You might have heard the phrase “there’s a day for that”.

There truly are hundreds, possibly thousands of commemorative “days” in the international calendar, and the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery will celebrate a month of days in June, with the innovative exhibition A Day for Everything.

Gunnedah Shire Council Cultural Precinct Team Leader Danny Hankinson is calling on Gunnedah Shire residents to think outside the box and bring in items that relate to a special commemorative day in June.

“We are sending out the call to people to bring in a photograph or an item – it could be an old letter for National Pen Pal Day or a VW keyring for International Volkswagen Bus Day – that relates to a special day in June,” Mr Hankinson said.

“We want to build an installation that reflects the wonderfully eclectic world of June commemorative days and the importance they might hold for our community. No artistic talent is required for this exhibition!”

People are asked to have a look at the commemorative days for June (some of them are listed below!) and bring something that relates to that day into the gallery by Monday, June 10. It could be a photo of you and your best friend at for Best Friends Day, or a pair of shoes or glasses for Go Barefoot Day or National Eyewear Day – think outside the box! Artworks are also encouraged.

Items will not be for sale. Attach your name and contact details. Businesses are welcome to bring in an item. Items can be collected from the gallery on Friday, June 28.

“This is an exhibition everyone can contribute to,” Mr Hankinson said. “And we are hoping it will be a lot of fun.”

Ideas for June commemorative days (there are many more!):

• Rotisserie Chicken Day (June 2)
• International Day of Yoga (June 21)
• World Environment Day (June 5)
• National Go Barefoot Day (June 1)
• National Game Show Day (June 1)
• Winter Solstice (June 21)
• National Pen Pal Day (June 1)
• Say Something Nice Day (June 1)
• Cancer Survivors’ Day (First Sunday in June)
• Hug Your Cat Day (June 4)
• National Cheese Day (June 4)
• National Eyewear Day (June 6)
• National Doughnut Day (First Friday in June)
• Corn on the Cob Day (June 11)
• Red Rose Day (June 12)
• Megalodon Day (June 15)
• Pink Day (June 23)
• Nature Photography Day (June 15)

Caption: National Eyewear Day is one of the many commemorative days celebrated across the world in June.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100 or communications@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au.

April 29, 2024

Gunnedah Shire is making its own preparations for this weekend’s Get Ready & Resilience Expo – a day for our community and businesses to help prepare for future emergencies or disasters.

Gunnedah Shire Council, with the support of the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network and sponsorship from Whitehaven Coal and the NSW State Emergency Service – North Western Zone, will host the free Get Ready & Resilience Expo this Saturday, 4 May, 2024.

The event will bring together emergency service organisations, government and nongovernment organisations, Council and local not-for-profit organisations for an Expo at Wolseley Park from 11am to 2pm. There will be plenty for families and organisations to learn and do.

The inspiring guest speakers at the free forum, starting at 5pm in the Gunnedah Town Hall, are retired Detective Senior Constable Allan Sparkes CV, OAM, VA FRSN, and noted Australian actor and philanthropist Samuel Johnson OAM who will talk about resilience.

The Expo will bring people together with all the organisations that not only respond to emergencies and disasters, but help the community prepare and recover from them.

To find out more, visit Gunnedah Shire Council’s website www.gunnedah.nsw.gov.au or Facebook page.

ENDS

For more information, contact Gunnedah Shire Council’s Communications team on (02) 6740 2100 or communications@gunnedah.nsw.gov.au