Welcome to Your Hawkesbury - Your Say

The draft Peel Park Masterplan and the amended Redbank Precinct Community Land Plan of Management is now available for public comment.

The Peel Park Masterplan will guide the future development of Peel Park. The design balances the many conflicting requests from the community whilst minimising potential impacts on neighbouring properties and park users as well as meeting the requirements of the Voluntary Planning Agreement that Council has with the developer of Redbank.

Peel Park has been designed to equally provide for passive and active recreation. The design considers the existing and future recreation needs of the community and contains flexible spaces that can adapt to changing needs. Key elements include: informal recreation and play areas; sporting areas; parking; pedestrian access and pathways; dog off-leash area and retention and management of natural areas.

The Redbank Precinct Community Land Plan of Management has been updated to include reference to Peel Park and addresses/resolves management issues/concerns relating to Peel Park that have been brought up by the community during the consultation process.

Relevant plans for review can be viewed via this link https://www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/public-exhibition-peel-park-masterplan-and-redbank-precinct-community-land-plan-of-management?preview=true

You can also have your say by any of the following methods:

• Mail: PO Box 146, Windsor NSW 2756

• Email: council@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au

• Online: by completing an online submission via this link https://www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/public-exhibition-peel-park-masterplan-and-redbank-precinct-community-land-plan-of-management/survey_tools/public-exhibition-peel-park-masterplan-and-redbank-precinct-community-land-plan-of-management

  The last day for the receipt of submissions is Thursday, 18 October 2018.

Hawkesbury City Council is exhibiting the Draft Thompson Square Conservation Management Plan.

Thompson Square is located in Windsor, the third oldest place of British settlement in Australia, and was named by the then Governor Lachlan Macquarie in recognition of the emancipist Andrew Thompson. Thompson Square and its immediate surrounds is also recognised as the oldest surviving public square in Australia, and was established in 1811 by Governor Macquarie.

The purpose of the Conservation Management Plan is to ensure that the historically significant features of the Thompson Square Conservation Area are preserved for future generations. The Conservation Management Plan has been prepared to guide ongoing conservation and management by Council and other relevant bodies.

The Draft Conservation Management Plan is on public exhibition for the period Friday 24 August 2018 to Monday 24 September 2018.

The Draft Conservation Management Plan can be viewed during the exhibition period on Council’s website at http://www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/, on Council’s online community engagement site via this link https://www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/draft-thompson-square-conservation-management-plan (or to the right of the screen under 'Live Projects') or between 8:30am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday at Council’s Administration Office, 366 George Street, Windsor.

Written submissions in relation to the Draft Thompson Square Conservation Management Plan can be posted to Hawkesbury City Council, PO Box 146, WINDSOR NSW 2756, faxed to (02) 4587 7740, or emailed to council@hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au

The last day for the receipt of submissions is Monday 24 September 2018.

Should you have any enquiries with respect to this matter, please contact Andrew Kearns, Manager Strategic Planning, on (02) 4560 4604.

Council at its meeting held on 08 May 2018 resolved to publicly exhibit the Draft Vineyard Precinct Section 7.11 Contributions Plan in accordance with section 26(4) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000.

This Draft Vineyard Precinct S7.11 Contributions Plan relates to the first stage of the Vineyard Precinct development. The expected development in this area includes 2,500 new residential dwellings and 5,500 square meters of land for retail purposes.

Infrastructure will need to be provided to support development in the Precinct, including Local Infrastructure that is traditionally the responsibility of the local council (in this case, Hawkesbury City Council). The infrastructure includes roads, storm-water drainage facilities, open space and recreation facilities and community infrastructure.

The Draft Vineyard Precinct S7.11 Contributions Plan is a policy to guide and collect contributions to provide local infrastructure for the new Vineyard Precinct.

The Draft Vineyard Precinct S7.11 Contributions Plan is on exhibition between 18 May 2018 to 18 June 2018 inclusive.

Background documents can be found on the NSW Government Planning & Environment website via this link http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Priority-Growth-Areas-and-Precincts/Vineyard/Key-actions-and-documents

For full details or to lodge a submission follow this link to the project page https://www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/public-exhibition-of-draft-vineyard-precinct-s711-contributions-plan

Each year Hawkesbury City Council outlines its activities for the coming year through an Operational Plan.

The Draft Operational Plan 2018/2019 identifies the proposed projects, programs and activities to be undertaken during 2018/2019. The Operational Plan also contains a Statement of Revenue Policy, which includes fees and charges and information regarding rates and annual charges. Estimated income and expenditure and the capital works program for 2018/2019 are also included.

The Draft Operational Plan 2018/2019 will be on public exhibition for the period Friday, 20 April 2018 to Friday, 18 May 2018.

Full details of the Draft Operational Plan and the submission form can be found via this link https://www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/OPPlan1718

Council are working on several exciting projects this year which will enhance our parks and playgrounds in the Hawkesbury.

We have recently completed our Community Consultation on the Governor Phillip Park Windsor upgrade. This project will be underway shortly. Further details please can be found via this link Governor Phillip Park Master Plan and Playground Upgrade

Next will be the upgrade to the play equipment at McLeod Park South Windsor. A Community Information Session will be held on Saturday 17 February, on site from 9am to 11am. Have your say by participating in our "Quick Poll" and provide us with your feedback. Details can be found via this link McLeod Park Playground Replacement - Community Consultation

The Peel Park North Richmond Community Consultation is now open. Submissions close on Friday 17 March 2018. Full details can be found via this link, including our online survey and workshop RSVP Peel Park Master Plan - Community Consultation

Please help Council make some important decisions about the future of the Hawkesbury.

Hawkesbury residents have consistently told Council that assets such as roads, public spaces, parks and footpaths are important to them, and that Council needs to improve their condition. In addition to this, the State Government introduced its Fit for the Future Reform in 2014, which required all NSW councils to assess their current position and submit a proposal demonstrating how they will continue to be financially sustainable into the future.

Council currently spends approximately $21.8 million on the maintenance and renewal of local assets and infrastructure each year, however, Council should be investing an additional $5.1 million per year to keep assets safe and functional.

In preparing its submission on how to achieve long term financial sustainability, Council identified that despite its best efforts, the funding available is not enough to keep community assets in an acceptable condition.

There is no easy solution to addressing this funding gap. On your behalf, if Council does not address this gap now, the community assets that Council manages will deteriorate and in the future become unusable. A proposed Special Rate Variation will be necessary to maintain and manage current assets to ensure that Council delivers services in line with community expectations and remains financially sustainable into the future.

We need to know if you wish your City’s assets and services to Improve, Stabilise or Deteriorate, and to consider three options including a proposed Special Rate Variation.

In the Document Library on this page you can read the Investing in Your Future information document which will tell you what this means for your household including what actions Council has taken to date, details of the Special Rate Variation options, and other information.

Please consider attending one of the town meetings or information kiosks in your area, the dates and locations are listed on this page.

An online survey will be available on this site in mid July 2017. Council would like you to complete the survey once you have received your Investing in Your Future information document with your rates notice in mid July.

Consultation will continue throughout July 2017, closing on 13 August 2017.

So get involved and have your say! Visit www.yourhawkesbury-yoursay.com.au/investing-in-your-future

Take the opportunity to become involved in the Listening to our community Your Services - Your Say online consultation. We want your views on our service levels in a range of areas including: roads and drainage; footpaths and cycleways; parks and public spaces; community buildings and amenities and cultural facilities.

This consultation is the next step in Council’s Fit for the Future journey. From 22 July 2016 until 20 August 2016, the community consultation program will also include a series of public town meetings and ‘Listening Kiosks’ throughout the Hawkesbury.

A phone survey has also been commissioned to gauge residents’ satisfaction with a range of Council services, to understand which services are the most important to them, and what level of investment they feel should be devoted to them.

Feedback from this community consultation will help us to better understand the community’s service needs, which in turn will assist us to formulate resourcing options to fund Council’s infrastructure renewal and maintenance shortfall while also meeting community expectations.

Outcomes from the community consultation will also be used in the review of the Community Strategic Plan and will help to ensure that Council is aligned with and working together with the community to build a successful future for the Hawkesbury.

Last week the NSW Government advised Council that it would not be proceeding with the proposed merger of Hawkesbury City Council and part of The Hills Shire Council.

This decision was based on the recommendation of Mr Gary West, the delegate appointed by the Office of Local Government to conduct the public inquiry into the merger proposal. You can read the Delegate’s report in full on the NSW Government’s Stronger Councils Stronger Communities Website.

Mr West concluded that the proposed merger would not result in efficient and effective local government based on the following reasons:

• The proposed merged council entity would not be financially sustainable and would not address the revenue shortfall which contributed to Council being assessed as ‘unfit’ by the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal.

• There is no clear evidence that the infrastructure backlog of the proposed merged council could be funded without a reliance on rate increases.

• The proposed merger would have a significant negative economic impact on the Hawkesbury.

• The lack of direct public transport links between Windsor and Baulkham Hills.

• The clear evidence that Hawkesbury area is oriented towards Penrith and the Blue Mountains rather than The Hills.

These reasons were outlined in Council’s submission in response to the merger proposal.

Thank you to our community for the support you have shown in retaining our local government area. We particularly appreciate the support received residents who attended the public inquiry meetings and who lodged submissions with Mr West.

We will now get on with the challenge of continuing to make this Council sustainable into the future. Council will carry on implementing its Fit for the Future Plan. We will now be able to fully commit to the Regional Strategic Alliance with Penrith and Blue Mountains City Councils and continue our active engagement with these councils to deliver the productivity and efficiency outcomes expected under the Fit for the Future reform framework.

To find out more visit our Getting Council Fit for the Future on this website.

Submissions regarding the proposed merger of Hawkesbury City Council and part of The Hills Shire Council have now closed. The Mayor of Hawkesbury, Councillor Kim Ford would like to thank the hundreds of people who had their say and stood up for the Hawkesbury.

“At the two public meeting, there were more than 80 speakers, and about 400 people in attendance to voice their views – which were overwhelmingly against this merger proposal,” said the Mayor.

While submissions are now officially closed, residents can still have their say, said Councillor Ford . “I now encourage all residents to direct their views on this merger to the NSW Premier, The Minister of Local Government and our Local Member, Mr Dominic Perrottet.”

Tell the State Government No to mergers by contacting:

• State Member for Hawkesbury, The Hon. Dominic Perrottet MP, email hawkesbury@parliament.nsw.gov.au, phone (02) 9634 7474, mail to PO Box 298, CASTLE HILL NSW 1765 or in person 287C Old Northern Road, CASTLE HILL NSW 2154

• Minister for Local Government, The Hon Paul Toole MP, email office@toole.minister.nsw.gov. au phone (02) 8574 7000, mail GPO Box 5341
  SYDNEY NSW 2001

• Premier of New South Wales, The Hon. Mike Baird MP email www.nsw.gov.au/your-government/contact-premier-new-south-wales , phone (02) 9976 2773, mail GPO Box 5341 SYDNEY NSW 2001

Due to public demand an additional public inquiry meeting in relation to the proposal to amalgamate the local government areas of Hawkesbury City Council and part of The Hills Shire Council will be held out of normal working hours.

The additional public meeting will be held

• Hawkesbury Race Club - Monday, 22 February 2016 from 7pm to 10pm, 1 Racecourse Road, Clarendon.

To attend or speak at the meeting you must register online at https://www.councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au/proposals/hawkesbury-city-and-the-hills-shire-councils/ or by calling 1300 813 020.

Members of the public can also comment on the NSW Government’s proposal to merge Hawkesbury City Council with part of The Hills Shire Council up until 5pm Sunday, 28 February 2016. Submissions may be made either online at www.councilboundaryreview.nsw.gov.au/proposals/hawkesbury-city-and-the-hills-shire-councils/ or by mail to GPO Box 5341 SYDNEY NSW 2001.