Council rates notices will be in ratepayer’s letterboxes from this week with payment due by 31 August.

Council offers you a number of convenient ways to pay your rates including:

* online

* credit card by phone

* BPAY

* mail

* in person at council offices or at any Post Office

Pension Rebates for 2010/2011 Pensioners who have applied for a Pension rebate are requested to check their Rates Notice.

If you have received a pension rebate, it will appear in the Particulars of Rates and Charges Box to the right of the total Column.

The Pension Rebate has been included in the total column.

The total column is the amount to pay.

If you hold a Pension Card and have not applied for a Pension Rebate on your Rates, you may be eligible, so please contact Council.

Outstanding Rates and Charges – Financial Difficulty

If you are experiencing financial difficulty, please contact Council to set up a formal payment arrangement, as weekly, fortnightly or monthly pay arrangements can be made.

This article can be found on the web at:

http://bellingen.local-e.nsw.gov.au/news/pages/10229.html

http://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/environment/8210/9356.html

In this edition:

Overview

Climate Change and Energy

· Lighting retrofit for Council Chambers undertaken.

· 20% reduction in electricity used in reticulating water in the last 5 years.

Sustainability

· Format C Computer recyclers come to Bellingen.

· Our Living Coast energy efficiency presentation and call for convenors for Energymark program.

Coastal & Estuary

· Erosion Survey.

· Coastal Zone Management Plan.

Healthy Rivers

· Estuary action planning underway.

· Catchment Crawl – Wednesday 15th July.

· Healthy Rivers Plans final drafts available.

Vegetation & Biodiversity

· Mahonia—Search & Destroy.

Environmental Levy

· Community Grants Scheme Funding applications being accepted.

· 2010—2011 Projects Announced.

Overview & Welcome

Welcome to the first newsletter for the Sustainability and Natural Resources section of Bellingen Shire Council. This newsletter highlights a number of initiatives and pro grams that staff have been working on and are planning to work on over the coming month. Staff have also been updating the Environment section of Council’s website and will continue to put important resources and information on the site into the future.

We hope you enjoy the first edition!  http://www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au/environment/8210/9356.html

Bellingen Shire Council’s February Council Meeting has been put back a day to enable a Council deputation to meet NSW Deputy Premier and Minister for Health, Carmel Tebbutt to convey concerns about service reductions at the Bellinger River District Hospital at Bellingen. Mayor – Cr Mark Troy, Deputy Mayor – Cr Kerry Child and General Manager Mike Colreavy will be meeting the Minister in Sydney on 24 February along with local Member of Parliament, Andrew Stoner. The Council has agreed to include Bellingen Hospital Action Group representative, Jaki Lockyer, in the delegation.

“We have concerns about the direction the hospital is heading and we asked Andrew Stoner to seek this meeting last December,” said Cr Troy. “Promises made to the community many months ago to reinstate the maternity services have not been kept, and it is now at a standstill. We also hold grave fears that there is an underlying agenda to cut other services including possibly discontinuing the 24 hour accident and emergency service and reducing the availability of acute beds. We will be telling the Minister that these service reductions are completely unacceptable to the Bellingen community. We want obstetric and maternity services re-instated and assurances that other services will be maintained.”

Members of the delegation also understand that some hospital functions could be better utilised, such as the operating theatre. “There is spare capacity with the operating theatre,” said Cr Troy.

Cr Troy also said that the Hospital needs more funding to maintain and replace infrastructure. “It is our understanding that the North Coast area receives substantially less than its equitable share under the funding formula that determines how much should be allocated to the Region,” said Cr Troy. “Consequently the infrastructure is being run down because the Area Health Service can’t afford to maintain it properly. This is a very unsatisfactory state of affairs.”

The February Council meeting will instead be held on Thursday 25 February.

Authorised by Mike Colreavy – General Manager File No.:

Date: 8/2/2010

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Mark Troy 6655 7315

ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE GENERAL MANAGER, PO BOX 117, BELLINGEN NSW 2454, TELEPHONE (02) 66557300, FAX (02) 66552310

Stuart’s career has spaned both local government and the private sector and has valuable skills and experience

in marketing, tourism and economic development. He has been a resident of Armidale for 17 years.

He is the current Executive Officer for the New England North West Regional Tourism Organisation and operates a

Marketing consultancy business. Prior to this he was employed with Armidale Dumaresq Council as their

Tourism & Marketing Manager and was a key member of the Council’s Economic Development Committee.

Stuart has extensive industry knowledge and network contacts having served on a number of industry boards and committees at local, regional and state level

Stuart will be based at the Council’s Administration Centre Bellingen

Peter Wilson

Director of Corporate Services

Bellingen Shire Council

T (02) 66557300 | F (02) 66552310 | M 0417 779639

E pwilson@bellingen.nsw.gov.au

W www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au

Download your copy here. BSC_Newsletter_October_2009

OPEN FOR “BUSINESS”

The construction of the new public toilet facilities in Bellingen’s Church Street “Café Precinct” will be completed just in time for the expected influx of visitors attending this weekend’s Global Carnival.

This significant project was funded under the Federal Government’s Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, designed by local Architect Steve Gorrell and constructed by Paul Gabauer Building and Construction Management.

The new toilet block will incorporate energy saving features such as natural lighting and waterless urinals and is made for easy cleaning and low maintenance. The toilet facility has been designed, specified and constructed in accordance with the Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD), Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPETD) equity (access and useability), and Efficiency (cost over time) principles.

“Finally no more dark and dingy spaces, this new fresh facility has a much improved accessible toilet and includes a baby change area for mums and dads. Other features include a water bubbler and bike rack. The modern yet functional design compliments the Church Street heritage precinct” says Mayor Mark Troy.

Authorised by Mike Colreavy – General Manager File No.:

Date: 28/9/09

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

ALL COMMUNICATIONS TO BE ADDRESSED TO THE GENERAL MANAGER, PO BOX 117, BELLINGEN NSW 2454, TELEPHONE (02) 66557300, FAX (02) 66552310

“This Plan outlines the future cooperative approach between Council, community and government stakeholders to address water quality in the Kalang“ said Council’s General Manager, Mike Colreavy.

“The plan has been developed through an extensive public and stakeholder consultation process and therefore very much reflects the community’s and agencies needs and recommendations with strategies and actions that are appropriate, effective and sustainable. Council is committed to improving water quality and river health and is grateful for the support of the programs key partner the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change – Estuary Program who has assisted financially in the development of the plan.” Mr Colreavy stated.

Nine key issues were identified as matters that need attention to improve water quality and river health. In order of priority they are:

• agricultural practices
• on-site sewage management systems (OSMS)
• riparian and wetland management
• boating, tourism and recreational impacts
• waste water treatment plants
• forestry, logging and clearing
• stormwater and building construction
• rural roads and bridges
• water quality monitoring.

Council has placed the document on public display until the 16th October and seeks written comments on the draft addressed to the General Manager. Copies of the document are available at Council’s Administration Centre, the Bellingen and Urunga Libraries, Lindsay’s Oyster Barn, and Anchors Wharf or in electronic format via Council’s website www.bellingen.nsw.gov.au .

For further details please contact Council’s River Keeper on 6655 7353.