THE formation of Joint Organisations of Councils proposed in the current review of NSW local government could be the thin end of the wedge to the eventual creation of much larger council areas.

This fear was expressed at Upper Lachlan Council’s last meeting by Cr. Malcolm Barlow.

Council’s General Manager, Mr. John Bell, tabled a report which would provide the basis for Council’s response to the Review.

However, at the suggestion of Cr. Jo Marshall the matter will become the subject for a Council “workshop” on March 17 – made possible by an extension of time for return of submissions.

Mr. Bell told Council that at a meeting of SEROC (a group of central western Councils of which Upper Lachlan is part) it was considered that it should become the Joint Organisation if this path was taken, rather than that suggested by the Panel.

SEROC, Mr. Bell said, actually would be about twice as big as the Joint Organisation suggested.

In the Panel’s report, it suggested that Harden, Young and Boorowa Councils could merge, and become part of the Tablelands Joint Organisation, of which Upper Lachlan would also become part, either stand-alone or merged with Goulburn Mulwaree.

Other councils in the Tablelands Joint Organisation would be Goulburn Mulwaree, Wingecarribee and Yass Valley.

The councils (merged or otherwise) would continue to operate in their own right, with the Joint Organisation operating as a co-operative and asset sharing body.

This was the sticking point so far as Cr. Barlow was concerned.

“I see the Joint Organisations as a pre-runner to new, larger councils,” he said.

“That’s what they’re working towards – eighteen country councils, with five in the city.”

Mr. Bell reported on a discussion between the Mayors and General Managers of Upper Lachlan, Yass Valley, Boorowa, Goulburn Mulwaree, Harden and Acting GM of Wingecarribee, at Goulburn on January 29.

At that meeting Upper Lachlan again emphasised its total opposition to a merger with Goulburn Mulwaree.

Wingecarribee believes its interest lie more with the Southern Highlands area than the Tablelands, but this would take the proposed Tablelands Joint Organisation below the 100,000 population threshold required.

Cr. Barlow later expressed the fear that the Joint Organisation scheme would morph into the Tablelands Council, centred on Goulburn.

The “workshop” discussion on March 17 will decide upon Council’s final submission to the Review Panel.

Big lift in house approvals

JANUARY saw a big lift in residential development approvals by Upper Lachlan Council planning department.

The report by Planner Mrs. Tina Dodson to last week’s Council meeting showed that for that month value of the eight residential developments approved was $2,276,000.

This compared with 2 approvals worth $196,000 in January, 2013.

The big January list took the total for the current financial year to 70 applications valued at $9,519,894.

With still five more months of the current financial year to go, this is just $95,220 below the figure for the whole of 2012/13.

The January figure followed December total of 11 applications approved, valued at $1,059,679 – around $450,000 less than the previous December.

Residential developments approved over December/January were from Crookwell, and one each from Crooked Corner, Greenwich Park, Gunning, Marulan and Wayo.

Still awaiting approval at January 31 were applications for dwellings at Collector (2), Binda (2), Gunning, Golspie, Lost River (2) and Laggan.

Mrs. Dodson reported that average processing time for approvals in December was 32 days, and in January 23 days.

Gullen Range turbines “wrongly placed”

TURBINES on the Gullen Range wind farms have been erected on the wrong sites – some by as much as 187 metres.

Upper Lachlan Mayor Cr. John Shaw reported this to last week’s Council meeting.

“Some turbines are not aligned where they were approved to go,” Cr. Shaw said.

Planning Director Mrs. Tin Dodson said a member of the public had raised the matter with her, and she had written to the State Department of Planning to alert them.

There had been no reply as yet.

Cr. Malcolm Barlow said that the matter had been going on for at least two months.

To his inquiries, the Department had replied they were “awaiting legal advice.”

“This is a classic example of the Department’s lack of compliance powers – the developer is doing what he likes,” Cr. Barlow said.

“They are supposed to get consent, but they just go ahead.”

He instanced another example where the developers had asked a resident to sign a release on the noise agreement, as they wanted to increase the blade length from 43 to 48 metres.

“He refused to sign, but they went ahead just the same,” Cr. Barlow said.

Mrs. Dodson will again contact the Department on the matter.

Heated pool dream alive – for now

The dream of a recreation centre, including a heated indoor pool, for Crookwell has been kept alive despite a recommendation from Upper Lachlan Council staff that it not proceed.

At last Thursday’s Council meeting Council, with only two dissents, agreed to endorse the Sport and Recreation Centre Feasibility Study to give its proponents the opportunity to seek required funding.

Director of Works, Mr. Phil Newham, in his response to the study, underlined the high capital cost (over $5 million) and expected operational losses which he said Council would find unsustainable.

Mr. Newham said Council’s senior management had reviewed operations of aquatic facilities at Blayney, Shoalhaven and Goulburn, which all operate at a financial loss ranging from $300,000 to $500,000 each year.

But Cr. Jo Marshall, a leading figure in the push for the facility, responded that without Council’s endorsement of the study there would be no opportunity to seek grant funding.

Endorsement, she said, would allow the Sport and Recreation Committee (SPARC) to investigate the possibility of funding that would make the proposition acceptable to Council.

Cr. Marshall said she believed the proposal was viable in two stages, with no hydrotherapy pool initially.

She added that while not unappreciative of the $244,046 annual operating loss predicted in Coringel’s study, SPARC “believe we could do better”.

“Why stop it here?” Cr. Marshall asked. “If we can’t raise the money, we can’t even attempt to without Council endorsement.”

Initially, two Councillors (Cr. Malcolm Barlow and Cr. Brian McCormack) moved to adopt the recommendation not to proceed with the idea.

Cr. Barlow commended SPARC on their efforts, but added: “The idea of obtaining a 100 per cent grant has a one per cent possibility.”

He claimed that calculations he had made, taking all the factors into consideration, showed that costs and operational losses would be substantially higher than those predicated in the Corengal study.

Cost of dismantling the existing pool and rehabilitating the area would be vastly higher than forecast, Cr. Barlow added.

He moved acceptance of the recommendation not to proceed, which was seconded by Cr. McCormack.

Cr. Paul Culhane, however, took a different tack, and moved an amendment that: “Council acknowledges both the social benefits and significant community support for the proposal by SPARC and for the establishment of an Upper Lachlan Indoor Sports and Recreation Facility. Council endorse and stands with SPARC in the pursuit of full capital funding for the project and an affordable ongoing operational model to allow this project to function.”

He said he believed this acknowledged the economic risk that the “unfettered pursuit of the project represented, but also endorsed the widespread community support for such a centre which, in the fullness of time and in the right circumstances, may well be a once in an era opportunity to provide an enduring asset of both social and economic benefit to the whole Shire.”

Cr. Marshall: “If we can’t do it we can’t, but the community wants us to have the opportunity to raise the money.”

Cr. McCormack raised the Cooma experience, where hopes of a year round indoor pool had been dashed because of the financial problems.

Cooma Council had been advised by Belgravia Leisure (which managed 40 pools around Australia) that a year-round facility was unfeasible for any town with a catchment of less than 50,000 people.

(Mr. Newham, in his report, said the catchment for Crookwell would be 4,621 – well under the Corengal estimate).

Cr. McCormack continued: “Cooma has a population of about 9,000 with big tourist numbers.

“The problem I’ve got is that the number of people for (Crookwell) pool to draw from is 7,500, but certainly a lot wouldn’t use the pool or be in a position to use the pool – and many use the Goulburn pool anyway.

“Where would the money come from to support the pool? It seems to me it would have to come out of Council funds, to come out of our road funding and other services.

“A lot of our roads would suffer, and the people are going to suffer, and that’s a concern for me.”

Cr. Marshall responded that 300 people had already “put their hands up” for membership, and there had been responses from Gunning, Tuena, Yalbraith – “all over the Shire.”

Mayor Cr. John Shaw commented that he and General Manager Mr. John Bell had been in discussions with the Mayor and General Manager of Blayney Shire, who had said they would prefer not have the similar facility which exists at that centre.

It was costing about $600,000 a year and Council was facing  a $370,000 bill for necessary repair work.

Cr. Marshall said this was not the story she had been told at Blayney, but Finance Director Mr. Andrew Croke responded that the financial model at Blayney had been upgraded and an extra $160,000 of cost added.

Cr. James Wheelwright supported Cr. Culhane’s amendment,

He said like Cr. McCormack he was very protective of the road budget, and that any extra spending would have to come from it.

“I agree with Cr. Barlow we can’t afford it,” Cr. Wheelwright said.

He said there were conflicting figures about the likely losses.

“It is a big ticket item, and a huge asset for the community. We’ve got a hard working committee, and Paul’s motion is the ideal solution – the committee want to continue on, and if there’s a slim possibility, let it run.”

Cr. Darren O’Brien agreed with Cr. Wheelwright: “I really want the pool, but like Cr. Wheelwright I can’t see how we can afford it. Perhaps in five or ten years time it might be possible – we should at least be willing to wait for an outcome.”

Cr. Barlow: “Of course I want the facility. The problem is that no matter what you say about it is going to hit this Council’s finances. I will not put this Council’s finances in jeopardy.”

Cr. Culhane: “I wouldn’t dream of supporting the costs outlined by Cr. Barlow, but in the meantime people who are passionate about this would have the opportunity to explore it.”

Council decided to adopt Cr. Culhane’s amendment (which became the motion) with Crs. Culhane, Wheelwright, Craig, O’Brien and Searl in favour, Crs. Barlow and McCormack opposed.

Cr. Marshall declared an interest and left the room for the vote.

The public gallery was packed for the debate, and at its conclusion Mr. Charlie Prell thanked Council for giving SPARC group the opportunity to continue its efforts.

FOOTNOTE: Cost of the study by Corengal Consulting was met by a $7,000 contribution by Upper Lachlan Council and $12,500 raised from the community.

Range Road “dangerous”

A warning that “someone will be killed” because of the poor condition of the Goulburn end of Range Road was given at last week’s Upper Lachlan Council meeting.

Cr. Brian McCormack voiced his concerns that nothing had been done on that part of the road, which carries heavy traffic into Upper Lachlan for the construction of the Gullen Range wind farm.

“The edges are dangerous, six inches deep,” he said.

“You can only drive safely in the centre of the road. Someone will be killed for sure.”

Director of Works Mr. Phil Newham said he had talked to the Goulburn Mulwaree representatives about the problem.

Cr. McCormack also expressed concern with the growth of an avenue of pine trees on the roadside of the Woodhouselee Road.

“The branches are growing out over the road, and it is becoming a hazard,” he said.

Dalton water limit “prudent”

BECAUSE of the extended dry period, together with falling surface water supply and groundwater levels, conservation of water use at Dalton seemed a “prudent and sensible strategy.”

This was the reply by Upper Lachlan General Manager Mr. John Bell to a question from Cr. John Searl at last meeting.

The question arose from Council placing Level 5 water restrictions at Dalton recently, coincidental with the Gunning restriction.

Cr. Searl said Dalton residents claimed that the two bores supplying Dalton had never failed in the past even through drought periods.

Mr. Bell pointed out that Dalton’s supply had been from one bore for an extended period.

This was the result of pump tests demonstrating poor flows in the second bore and “rapid cycling” of the pumps.

“One bore as opposed to two makes the system less reliable,” Mr. Bell said.

The reliability of the remaining bore, he said, was based on pump testing, specifically the volume pumped over a specified time.

“A reduction in the volume pumped indicates slower recharge, hence reduce volume available at that time,” Mr. Bell said.

“Dry conditions lead to reduced recharge, and the current conditions are consistent with that.”

The bore was not equipped with the instrumentation to provide exact data of available flows.

“Given extended dry periods and the fact that surface water and groundwater table levels were dropping, it would seem prudent and sensible strategy to be conservative in water use,” Mr. Bell said.

“Water restrictions have been applied in Dalton to match those in Gunning – not the amount of water in Dalton bores per se.

“This is consistent with Council’s best practice Drought Management Plan, and the policy Council has applied for the past ten years,” Mr. Bell concluded.

Upper Lachlan retains Main Roads contract

A review of Upper Lachlan Council’s performance under its main roads contract has confirmed its status – and led to a renewal of the contract.

Since 2008 the Council has maintained Main Road 54 (Bathurst Road) from Goulburn’s main street to the Abercrombie River at the Shire boundary.

This covered general surveillance, litter and debris collection, emergency and incident response, regular grading, sign and guidepost repair, and vegetation and drainage maintenance.

Value of the contract was $428,000.

At last Council meeting, Manager of Works Mr. Gary Anable reported that as a result of the favourable review the contract has been extended for a further twelve months.

Mr. Anable said that preliminary discussions had been held with the main roads with a view to commencing the design for sealing of the remaining gravel sections of the Bathurst Road.

This would be the subject o a future report to Council once funding arrangements and scope is finalised by the Roads and Maritime Services Authority.

He added that Council’s Works Section was continuing to implement a range of initiatives and strategies to sustain and potentially improve its performance under the contract.

Taralga Rd sealing to finish next year

BITUMEN sealing of the full length of the Crookwell – Taralga Road (MR248 East) should be completed next year.

With the finalisation of current upgrade of the road only 3.1 kilometres remains unsealed.

Upper Lachlan Council’s Manager of Works (Mr. Gary Anable) reported to last meeting that the work will be finished as part of Council’s 14/15 Capital Works program.

Mr. Anable reported on other current works:

# Learys and Prices Lames reconstruction:

Following the laying of the underground electrical cables associated with the Gullen Range wind farm Councils has been reconstructing 2.5 kms along these lanes to a standard suitable for bitumen sealing.

The sealing of the reconstructed section will take place once the pavement construction is completed.

# MR256 Reconstruction:

Council has begun pavement reconstruction of the “Gordon Vale” section north of the Tarlo River bridge, prior to sealing.

Weather permitting this should take three weeks to complete.

Reconstruction of the Cowpers Hill section will follow.

The work is part of a road safety initiative by Council associated with the Taralga wind farm.

# Iron Mine Road:

Work is continuing on the reconstruction and sealing of Iron Mine Road between Redground Road and Water Works Road.

# Works completed:

Works completed included bitumen resealing in Grabben Gullen, Gunning, Dalton, Collector areas; resealing of parts of the Bathurst Road, plus patching at Wrens Nest Creek and Fitzroy Street, Goulburn;  footpath repairs in Crookwell; storm restoration work on Kennedy and Pejar Roads.