7 Year Plan - Open Letter from the Administrators

Your Council

Our Services

Your Environment

Do Business

Community

About the Tweed

A-Z menu index

Administrator's Letter

Projects & Services

Projects & Services Incl.

Projects & Services Excl.

Home

Your Council

7 Year Plan

Administrator's Letter

Council’s 7 Year Plan

An Open Letter to the Tweed Community from Council Administrators

As newly appointed Administrators one of the early decisions we took was to defer a rate rise proposed for 2005/2006.

We took this decision in order to have the time to better understand community needs and expectations and to determine Council's ability to deliver programs and projects consistent with these expectations.

At the time we signalled our intention to plan infrastructure provision over a longer (7 year) period and to seek your endorsement to implement a series of rate rises above the CPI in order to finance any new initiatives.

It is essential that the community gets the infrastructure and services it needs.

Tweed Shire Council's relatively low rates coupled with high community expectations, do not match Council's ability to fund new or expanded services without reducing existing service levels.

Conservative population growth projections to 2016 suggest that the Tweed population may increase by an additional 40,000 people.

Much of the planning work in many areas of Council's operations has already been completed and action plans developed.

During the past 3 years the following plans have been developed in close consultation with the community:

Tweed Futures Surf Life Saving Strategy Coastline Management Plan Coastal Estuaries Management Plan Vegetation Management Plan Tweed Heads Masterplan Social Plan Youth Strategy Urban Stormwater Management Plan Regional Sports and Facilities Plan Museum Strategy Festivals Strategy Economic Development Strategy Tweed Shire Beach and Foreshores Users Survey

Action plans embodied as outcomes of these plans can be progressively implemented as funds and resources become available. In many cases however, it is likely that these initiatives will simply not happen if additional funding sources cannot be found.

Each year Tweed Shire's local population continues to grow, as do the demands on essential functions and programs being undertaken by the Council. This special issue of the Tweed Link sets out the projects that have and have not been included in the 7 Year Plan and asks for residents' feedback. There are several ways that you can have your say.

Some $133M of projects and programs have been identified as potentially suitable for roll out over the next 7 years. Another $20M of projects were considered but initially have been excluded from the list.

Potential income sources include increasing developer contributions, increases in rates, accessing of additional funds through State and Federal Government Programs, and increasing the profitability of the Tweed Coast Holiday Parks business.

We are genuinely seeking your input into what is important to you and what is of a high priority.

Please take the time to inform yourself and importantly let us know what you think by:

Completing the survey at the back of this issue and posting reply paid.
Visiting the website www.tweed.nsw.gov.au and completing the survey and returning by e-mail. The website also has more detailed information of the projects and consultation already undertaken by the Council.
Using the hotline number 1800 709 188 for any enquiries.

Residents may also be contacted by phone by Market Facts, an independent company that will be asking the same questions.


MAX BOYD, AM Administrator	GARRY PAYNE, AM Administrator	LUCY TURNBULL Administrator

Next >>

1024