Wickham in for Growing Pains

BY MATT JOHNSTON

Newcastle Independents candidate for Ward 1, John Church, says Wickham's got a bustling future ahead of it. There are currently 18 projects which are underway or in the pipeline for the suburb, and the potential influx of new residents has existing ones worried.

“I have been consulting with local residents who want to see progress but who are genuinely concerned about parking, increased traffic in already narrow streets and the lack of public space," said Mr Church.

Mr Church says the Wickham Master Plan, which was launched earlier this year, needs serious funding and commitment to help the suburb effectively manage the growing pains. "The master plan creates a pathway forward but needs funding."

"We believe enacting the Wickham Master Plan, by spending DA Section 94 contributions, is an effective way to get the Mast Plan underway. Otherwise, we'll get left behind."

The funding, Mr Church says, doesn't have to be re-spent in Wickham under existing arrangements. But he believes "Wickham is a special case" which needs careful management to prevent overcrowding and over-use of services.

Newcastle Ward 1 Candidate John Church

Newcastle Independents running for election

BY JAMES WARD

The Newcastle Independents have formed to contest the Newcastle City Council election on September 9th.

The group will field candidates who are against the Labor/Greens rate rise of 46.9% and also want to see an end to party politics that have caused problems for Council in recent years.

Lord Mayoral candidate, Kath Elliot, says the group have considered running for some time after witnessing the dysfunction in the council room.

"It's really important to take party politics out of local government so that the people that are in council making decisions are making them based on what the community wants and not based on what a political party might see as furthering their own agenda," Elliot said.

A local businesswoman, Kath Elliot will run for Lord Mayor as she has experience in Newcastle civic life.

" The local independents want to speak to the community and we are already out there talking to the community and asking them what they are concerned about and what their views are and also listening to people and understanding what is important to them, I think that is a very important part of Council."

Also in the Maitland local election, 41-year-olds, Todd Holden and Ben Quinn have joined the election race.

The two local men have joined Brian Burke's campaign and they aim to bring fresh ideas to the Council coming from a younger generation.

Source: Newcastle City Council