Newcastle Council Save Century Old Fig Tree Facing the Chop

BY SAMUEL BARTLETT

Newcastle Council is hoping to save a century-old Port Jackson fig tree which was set to be chopped down, after a branch fell recently.

The large branch induced fears the tree was beginning to die and would typically be removed but after closer inspection by expert arborists, it will instead be saved through an intricate cabling system to keep it stable.

The cabling system is expected to be installed later this month, including a small fence and garden beneath the tree's drip line, transforming it into a feature of the park.

Council is hopeful the restoration of the fig tree will extend it's life by an extra 20 years and continue the parks reputation as a historic landmark.

Councillor Carol Duncan says a younger tree will also be planted close by to ensure the continuity of the tree canopy in decades to come.

She also says maintaining the parks heritage and historic flora is crucial to protect local fauna.

"Preserving Gregson Park's trees is important because they not only hold sentimental value to us, they also provide habitat for native wildlife such as the threatened Grey-headed Flying Fox.

The park is also under development as part of the Gregson Park Masterplan which will be put forward to the Newcastle community in the near future.

The damaged Port Jackson fig tree in Gregson Park 

Councilor Carol Duncan and Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes inspecting the damaged fig

Newcastle Ranked as One of Australia's 'Best Performing Cities' in New Report

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Newcastle has been named as one of Australia's best performing cities, in terms of employment, investment and welfare reliance.

The ‘Goldilocks’ report ranked Newcastle in fourth place, in terms of economic and social indicators, out of 101 urban areas.

Geelong was rated number two in the country,and Wollongong eighth - all far above the metropolitan centres of Melbourne (23) and Sydney (25).

The cities are seen to have just the right balance of employment opportunities, industry diversity and amenity, without congestion and high cost of living.

Gateway Cities Alliance Secretariat and Committee for Geelong CEO Jennifer Cromarty said the report reaffirmed the advantages of gateway cities and the formation of the Gateway Cities Alliance.

“This report offers insight into the many economic and social benefits of Geelong, Newcastle and Wollongong, which have the potential to play a far bigger role in national development."

“This report is based on pre-COVID statistics but show that gateway cities demonstrate remarkable resilience over generations and in evolving economic conditions."

“This research reinforces the strong position of the Alliance cities before the lockdown, and places them well to play a crucial role in Australia’s recovery post-pandemic,” Ms Cromarty said.

Image Credit: City of Newcastle: NSW Government

$3 Million Upgrade to Merewether's Llewellyn Street Includes Alfresco Dining Area

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Merewether's Llewellyn Street, will soon be overhauled with new street furniture and shade trees among a range improvements set to made by Newcastle Council, to make the local centre a more attractive and accessible shopping destination.     

The $3 million upgrade borrows design elements from the nearby Bathers Way – especially concrete and timber installations – and includes footpath and drainage replacements to make the shopping, dining and heath care hub safer and more user friendly.    

The improvements will include fixed street furniture, new shade trees and low-level gardens.

A platform with fixed seating at the corner of Dent Street will allow alfresco dining, while bench seating and bar tables with stools along Llewellyn Street create a more functional streetscape along with bike racks and a bubbler.    

Ward 2 Councillor Carol Duncan said Llewellyn Street’s physical and functional overhaul would make it a more appealing place to do business and meet friends for coffee or a meal.   

 “The Llewellyn Street upgrade will create a more-appealing gathering place by addressing existing issues of accessibility, stormwater management and visitor comfort courtesy of new street furniture and shading,” Councillor Duncan said.    

“Due to an increase in development and associated road safety issues, flooding and infrastructure needs, Llewellyn Street was identified as a priority project within the City’s local centre renewal program, which has already seen the multimillion-dollar upgrades of the Beresfield and Carrington town centres."  

 “Like those projects, new road surfaces, kerb and gutter replacements and reconfigured parking spaces will improve access and, together with pedestrian lighting upgrades that includes a smart pole for free WiFi, make the area safer at night,” she says.     

Pedestrians and cyclists see raised zebra crossings, new cycle lanes, traffic-calming treatments and a new 40km/hr speed limit.    

Speed humps and gardens at the intersections of Morgan, Winsor and Merewether streets will also help slow passing traffic.   

The project follows extensive public consultation that began in 2016 when the City engaged with the community to develop a Public Domain Plan.   

It was publicly exhibited in November and December that year before being approved by Newcastle Traffic Committee and the elected Council.    

Work on the project is expected to start in July and take about 12 months to complete.

   Project Render 1

  Project Render 2

New Video Showcases Newcastle's Evolution From Industrial Town to Renewable Powerhouse

BY DAKOTA TAIT

A new video has been released looking back at Newcastle's transformation from the "steel city" to a clean energy leader, and Newcastle Council becoming the first council in Australia to make the switch to 100 percent renewables.

Council's initiatives which helped them reach the achievement include introducing solar panels to council buildings, enhancing electric vehicle infrastructure, and switching to sustainable public transport options, in addition to significant investment in the Summerhill Solar Farm.

Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen says the City of Newcastle is "exceptionally pleased" to have been showcased for their work as a member of the Climate Council and the Cities Power Partnership.

"We were the very first council in Australia to embrace 100 percent renewables," said Cr Clausen.

"We did it in a way that means we're saving money for rate-payers and returning those savings back into community infrastructure, so it's a really great outcome."

The City of Newcastle's operations have been completely powered by renewable energy since New Year's Day - and the council has more plans to improve waste management, expand active transport, and help out businesses and households with their energy use as well.

Local businesses such as the Carrington Bowling Club, which are featured in the video,  have also launched significant community campaigns to raise money for renewables too - the club now saves more than a thousand dollars a month thanks to their own solar panels.

David Craven, Director of the Cities Power Partnership, says the community's involvement in renewable energy initiatives has been just as exciting as the council's efforts.

"It's fantastic to see what the council is doing, but this is also clearly something that's deeper than just the council taking action," said Mr Craven.

"The community themselves are getting behind this, and we can see that there's a real thirst for renewable energy in the community of Newcastle."

Concerns have been raised from the community and environmental groups regarding the continued impact of the Port of Newcastle - the busiest coal export port in the world - and Newcastle Coal Infrastructure Group's recent application to increase their coal terminal capacity on Kooragang island from 66 to 79 million tonnes of coal per year.

"I think we're seeing the economics of coal really heading in the wrong direction for those kinds of applications. These things are going to play out in the market anyway," Mr Craven said. 

Newcastle Council say they are committed to sustainable development, working closely with partners, including operators like the Port of Newcastle, to look at how they can continue to diversify.

"Coal is an exceptionally important commodity for Newcastle and the Hunter region, and we want to look closely on how to reduce the impact they have on the environment. We've been working really closely with partners, by adopting sustainable development goals with Port Waratah Coal services," said Cr Clausen.

"Newcastle still has a reputation to be a steel city, and it's certainly a reputation that when you talk to people from outside the region that we're a dirty city."

"This is a really unique way of showcasing the amount of change that has happened in Newcastle, and we hope that that will lead to positive outcomes in terms of what other cities can do as well."

Watch the video here.

Image credit: https://citiespowerpartnership.org.au/

Newcastle Now Accusing Council CEO Of Being "Scandalous" Following Discrepancy Claims

BY JARROD MELMETH

Newcastle Now has hit back at council following claims the Business Improvement Association has a $1.1 million discrepancy relating to staffing costs.

In a statement, City of Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath said a breakdown of the groups' expenses for the past three years does not match the groups audited reports for the same three years.

Mr Bath claims the group listed expenditure on wages at $244,949, but an audit put that figure at $1,384,488.95.

"Until I terminated its funding on 31 December last year, Newcastle Now was spending 56 per cent of its annual income on employee and administration expenses. This is money that ratepayers expect would be spent promoting the CBD.

"Newcastle Now's financial explanation is concerning. Unless they can reasonably account for the $1.1 million discrepancy in their employee costs, my recommendation to council will be that a new agreement shouldn't be offered to Newcastle Now for the new financial year," Mr. Bath said.

However, Newcastle Now Chairman Ed Duc denies the figures saying they are "incorrect".

"An organization that is handling $800,000, or thereabouts, of ratepayers money has to be very careful as to what it does with that money. 

"The truth of the matter is, in order to spend that money, you need to have administration. Our administration costs, we know, are 20 per cent. That is 20 per cent of the gross special benefit rate. The remainder of the funds Bath is talking about are expanded wages for programs approved by the traders through the elected board," Mr Duc said.

Issues between Newcastle Now and City of Newcastle date back to a year ago when Mr Duc and Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes exchanged words during a council meeting after Ms Nelmes raised questions about how the group was promoting the city during light rail construction.

Mr Bath rehashed the light rail issue in his statement.

"The past 12 months were the most challenging faced by many traders in the Newcastle CBD due to the light rail construction.

"In a year when Newcastle Now should have been investing every last cent into promoting and activating the CBD, we now know that they instead spent more than half a million dollars on employee and administration costs," Mr Bath said.

Mr Duc describes Mr Bath as "scandalous" describing his attitude as "unbelievable."

"He knows that this is not true and we are trying to figure out just what motivation he has behind making these scurrilous claims," Mr Duc said.

Newcastle Now will be writing to the Office of Local Government asking for it to come in and review the situation.

Pictured L-R: Newcastle Now Chairman Ed Duc and Council CEO
Jeremy Bath. Image: Newcastle Herald.

Newcastle Business Improvement Associations Under The Spotlight

BY JARROD MELMETH

Newcastle Business Improvement Associations will come under the spotlight at a City of Newcastle council meeting on Tuesday night.

A report commissioned by the City of Newcastle will be tabled at the meeting which concludes "The proportion of Levy funding allocated towards administration costs also appears to be excessive and at the cost of additional economic development output."

The report also recommended updated the existing funding model for BIAs "to better involve their members, align operations with emerging opportunities and make structural changes that can ensure funding certainty and improved governance."

Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Bath said four of the five BIAs have this year requested Council funding, with 46 per cent of their collective ratepayer funds to go to administration and salaries.

Mr Bath said the AECOM report found that the governance arrangements for BIAs require significant improvement.

"Earlier this year a BIA requested more than $100,000 with no explanation of how the money would be spent.

"Another requested to spend all (and more) of their special rate funding on administration.

"More than $10 million of commercial ratepayers money has been provided to BIAs during the past seven years. During this time, the amount being diverted to administration and salaries has substantially increased.

"Every dollar that is spent on administration and salaries is a dollar that isn't going towards on-the-ground delivery of events and programs that attract people to local shops and businesses," Mr Bath said.

But Newcastle Now Chair Edward Duc said without staff, the association would not be able to provide community events and programs.

"The people who are employed in the office, run the programs. They actually run the events and if we don't have those people then we would have to outsource. Our experience with outsourcing this sort of activity is more expensive than doing it in-house," Mr Duc said.

Councillors will consider the recommendation in a confidential meeting to replace the model of funding agreements with a new framework with an emphasis on events, local projects and infrastructure.

Council CEO Jeremy Bath.