Council notes from November meeting

Roads Advocacy

Gilgandra Shire Council has joined with Local Government NSW and the Country Mayors Association of NSW in declaring a statewide roads emergency.

Mayor Doug Batten has been endorsed by council to write to prime minister Anthony Albanese and premier of NSW Dominic Perrottet to plead for immediate action. A total of 126 of NSW’s 128 local government areas have had natural disaster declarations within the last 12 months, according to president of Local Government NSW, Darriea Turley.

In early November, Local Government NSW declared a statewide roads emergency, which was an urgent call for the NSW and federal governments to increase their existing road funding commitments in the aftermath of the floods. This has been estimated at $2.5 billion in road damages. Cr Batten called on Gilgandra Shire Council to show their support for this move and to endorse the declaration of a statewide roads emergency, which they did.

“We have faced, and may continue to face, an unprecedented and unrelenting series of natural disasters that has seen residents and business owners cleaning up again and again, people isolated, workers unable to get to work, and students unable to get to training or school,” said Cr Batten.

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ARTC housing design

It has been resolved that 10 houses be constructed on the first 10 lots at the Marshall Street end of Hercules Place, with five on each side of the street.

The tender for the design and construct of the 10 houses consists of:

One, four-bedroom, two-bathroom spacious, prestige home,

Three, four-bedroom, two-bathroom project homes,

Three, three-bedroom, two-bathroom project homes,

One, three-bedroom, two-bathroom dual occupancy, and

Two, two-bedroom, two-bathroom duplex plus a study.

NJ Land Property Advisory looked at the real estate market more broadly than the local context, and has guided their recommendation on both design and support with ARTC on the commercial agreement.

NJ Lane Property Advisory have tried to maintain flexibility to allow for as many options for either sale or future leasing use. As an example, building all four-bedroom prestige homes would make it difficult to sell as there is only a limited number of people looking for these in a small real estate market like Gilgandra.

Building all dual occupancy dwellings would have a similar impact in the fact that it would limit appeal to families or people looking for the benefits of rural lifestyle. Seven of the properties appeal for future sale or rent to families. Three are dual occupancy and could be sold as such or hold value for professional accommodation for either council or other services.