Novocastrian women recognised at the Citizen of the Year awards

Newcastle council has paid tribute to female Novocastrians at the Citizen of the Year awards on Monday. 

The ceremony recognised a number of achievements, including Young Citizen of the Year, which was awarded to University student Ashley Harrison for her advocacy against online violence and abuse, in particular, victims of revenge porn and phishing.

The Community Group of the Year was awarded to the Hunter Peace Group for their work in re-affirming Newcastle as a nuclear free city, a declaration first made in 1982.

Jan Chamberlin was given the Senior Citizen of the Year award for her work in reducing negative attitudes towards social housing in the community.

The 2022 Citizen of the Year Award was handed to silver medalist and three time paratriathlon prizewinner Lauren Parker.

Image credit: Newcastle Council

Newcastle Council Plants Hundreds of New Trees, Children Encouraged to Write Love Letter to Favourite One

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Hundreds of trees have been planted along local streets as part of Newcastle Council's Living Streets Program to expand the City’s urban forest.

The Council has been capitalising on Autumn rains, digging holes on street verges and reserves for around 500 trees - 40 different species - across Wallsend, Adamstown and Adamstown Heights ( full list of streets). 

Around 1,000 street trees will be planted this year as part of the City’s commitment to deliver cleaner air, reduced storm water runoff, habitat for local biodiversity, more shade and a cooler urban environment. 

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes, who joined City staff to plant trees along Tyrrell Street Wallsend today, said autumn offered the perfect weather for new plantings and that today’s work followed a council decision to join a global initiative aimed at enhancing nature in and around cities.

“While most community requests for tree plantings come during Summer when we are all feeling the need for more trees, Summer isn’t the ideal time to plant and establish trees,” Councillor Nelmes said.

“The weather conditions are more favorable at this time of year as it’s cooler and more rain is about."

“We know a five per cent increase can reduce summer temperatures by one to two degrees, and that 17 trees will offset the use of one car a year in terms of carbon emissions."

Council’s City Greening Services team will complete regular maintenance of the new trees, among 6,000 recently planted across the local government area, carrying out mulching, weeding, watering and formative pruning.

The City is running a series of education activities in conjunction with tree planting, encouraging children during the COVID-19 lockdown to observe animals that visit their favourite tree and write a love letter to it.

Ward 4 Councillor Jason Dunn said kids were invited to submit a letter and photo of the tree to naturalconnection@ncc.nsw.gov.au to encourage conservatory thinking and see which trees are the most popular across the local government area.

“We want kids to take a moment to visit their favourite tree and stop, watch and listen and then write to us about how many different animals visit the tree, how long they think it’s been here and what could be lost if it was cut down," Councillor Dunn said. 

“As well as planting trees, we want to educate the next generation about how native and non-native trees support a huge amount of life in urban environments."

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Cr Jason Dunn on Tyrrell Street

Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and in Cr Jason Dunn on Tyrrell Street

Council Assures Covid-19 Pandemic Won't Postpone Management of Stockton Erosion

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Newcastle Council's Stockton Coastal Management Program (CMP) team has been recognized as essential and will work remotely through any Government-directed lockdown in response to COVID-19 in order to meet the Local Government Minister’s shortened deadline of 30 June 2020.

Despite the challenges brought by COVID-19, Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes has met with the Stockton Community Liaison Group via Zoom.

“With projects on hold or delayed across the state there had been some concern from the Stockton community about how COVID-19 would affect our ability to deliver a CMP by the shortened deadline,” the Lord Mayor said.

“We reiterated today that despite the enormous challenges we’re facing as a community, Stockton remains a key priority for City of Newcastle. The team delivering our CMP will continue to work as an essential service should the Federal or State Government direct the community into lockdown.”

The Lord Mayor said Stockton’s CMP was expected to focus primarily on sand nourishment along with the protection of public and private assets.

“The message is clear from the Stockton community. Return a sandy beach that locals and visitors can enjoy, and manage our natural coastal environment in a way that reduces risk and keeps the community’s way of life."

“Our Stockton team is reviewing all previous options however, there’s really only one way to deliver on this call from the community and that’s to complete a CMP focused primarily on beach amenity and reducing risk, that will meet the demands of the State Government’s certification requirements."

“We will be looking for community feedback in mid-May during the public exhibition period.”

The draft Stockton CMP will be placed on 28-day Public Exhibition from Wednesday 13th May,  providing the community an opportunity to have their say on the long-term plan to manage coastal erosion.

Due to restrictions on public gatherings caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Newcastle Council will continue to engage online and via the post /mail.

City of Newcastle's Capital Works Program Sets New Expenditure Record

BY HANNAH-LOUISE ANDERSON 

Preliminary figures have shown that over ninety-one million dollars has been invested into Newcastle roads, community buildings and recreational facilities over the 2018/2019 financial year, a record in the city's capital works expenditure. 

The expenditure is said to have increased by over forty percent in the last four years through council's attempts to "meet the higher community expectations" and commitment to improving living standards for Newcastle's growing population. 

"Our investment in capital works has been growing over the past four years as we continue to balance infrastructure renewal with revitalisation projects to meet the higher community expectations that come with sustained growth." says Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes. 

"Major projects, such as the restoration of City Hall, renewal of the Beresfield Local Centre, and expansion of the Summerhill Waste Recovery Centre, have rolled on into the new financial year."

This financial year's expenditure is also said to focus on environmental sustainability in Newcastle. 

"This financial year is also a focus on environmentally sustainable projects. We will be spending fourteen-million dollars on an organics facility, being established at Summerhill Waste Management Centre for the City of Newcastle as well." says the Lord Mayor. 

The facility will be a part of the overall thirty-six million dollar Capital Works investment into the environment set to roll out in Newcastle over the next couple of years. 

Logo belonging to the City of Newcastle

Newcastle City Council Announces Budget Surplus

BY ALICE PEART

Newcastle City Council announced the 2019-20 budget today which forecasts a surplus of $11.95 million.

Although the budget represents the sixth consecutive surplus for Newcastle, this will be the first in a decade which does not rely on reserve funds.

Speaking to 2NURFM today Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said financial sustainability had been a particular focus of council over the past five years resulting in significant reserve funds now saved for future works in the city.

Forty per cent of works in the budget have been committed to environmental initiatives including the continuation of coastal revitalisation, improving recreational parks and new waste facilities.

These investments represent the single largest investment ever for environmental sustainability in Newcastle.

The Lord Mayor said of particular interest for her was the $12.35 million earmarked for an Organics Recycling Facility and another $6 million for a Recycling Recovery Center. 

The draft budget is now available to view on the City Council's website.

Glebe Road Proposed Heritage Site

BY: ARIANA GATTI

A group of Federation Cottages along Glebe Road and Watkins Street in The Junction have been endorsed by Newcastle City Council to be listed as Heritage conservated buildings.

The single-storey cottage dwellings originally constructed between 1909 and 1915, are listed as the first strip of buildings within the residential subdivision of the time, running along 53-75 Glebe Road and 4 Watkins Street.

Newcastle Council has endorsed the proposal and hoping to gain support from the public in order for the heritage buildings to be conservated for the future enjoyment of tourists and locals alike.

The determination has so far been approved by the Minister of Planning, with the proposal to be on exhibition to the public from today until the 12th of June.

The site would be number seven on the Heritage Site protection list, with the likes of other buildings located around the Newcastle area; including the suburbs of Cooks Hill, Newcastle East, The Hill, Hamilton South (Garden Suburb), Hamilton Beaumont Street and Newcastle City Centre.

Image sourced:http://newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Council/News/Latest-News/Glebe-Road-Federation-cottages-recommended-to-be-n

Singleton calling for new operators to manage their Livestock Market

BY ANNABEL ROBINSON

Singleton Council is calling for any expressions of interest from the private farming sector to assist in the management of the Regional Livestock Market upgrade that was funded a $6 million grant from the Government's Resources for Regions project.

The Resources for Regions program was introduced back in 2012 to help support mining-affected communities within NSW.

Since then, the Government's program has funded Singleton council with over $31 million which has contributed to the revitalisation of the Singleton Town Centre, renovations to the Gym and Swim and the upgraded cycleway along Hermitage road.

The town's most recent grant was lodged to help assist them with an upgrade in their agricultural sector which aims to be completed by February next year. Unfortunately for the city council, recent reviews found the current operation to be unsustainable and nonprofitable for the local community, leaving the council in a deficit of $250, 000 last financial year.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore says that the council aren't specialists in running sales yards so to benefit the community they will be outsourcing to find operators that can manage the facility to best of their ability but we won't be seeing the sales yards up on the market anytime soon.

"The purpose of the grant was for agriculture and to continue the economic benefits of agriculture. It's more about who is the best person to run the sale yards and scope a field before we can move forward with any other decisions," Cr Moore says.

The council is aware that the current situation of the livestock sale yard needs to change and hopes to come to a more successful conclusion early next year.

Image source: VisitNSW of a Livestock sale yard