Port Stephens Labor candidates have vowed to reinstate live streaming of Council meetings should they be elected.
The candidates see live streaming as a logical approach to creating greater accountability and transparency for councillors.
The live streaming of Port Stephens Council meetings started in March 2012 but ceased in December 2012.
Mayoral and Central Ward candidate Des Maslen says the benefits of the live streaming would be great for the community.
"Our policy is to put the live streaming back in place and have the live streaming there for everyone to view in particular if there is an issue for their area, they can see how the voting goes and the reasons why some projects get over the line and some don't, " Maslen said.
"Also means for accountability and transparency wise there is no grey area, there is no he said, she said, everyone knows who's voting what and will take all misconception out of council meetings."
If Labor were to be elected the viewing of council meetings would be easily accessible.
"Live streaming will have a link on the council website, they can view that at their leisure when there is an event."
Maitland's population is set to grow even further following council's approval of two development applications for 247 lots across Thornton and Louth Park at Tuesday night's council meeting.
According to the latest census data, Maitland's population exceeds 77,000 residents, which is a two percent increase from the 2011 census results.
The approval of more residential housing comes just weeks after Maitland Council approved a housing development application from Defence Housing Australia known as Wirraway, which features 511 housing lots in Thornton.
An application for a 71 lot residential subdivision within the North Urban Release Area, with associated stormwater infrastructure at 508 Raymond Terrace Road was lodged by Paradigm Planning and Development was originally lodged with council along with a proposed new intersection onto Raymond Terrace Road.
Council's report shows two submissions were received during the public notification period in objection to the proposed development saying "a landowner opposite the subject site objects to the development on the grounds of traffic impacts and the intersection design; and the other from the adjoining landowner to the west who objects to the development on the grounds of the location of the road connection between the two sites". The report says the issues have been addressed in the report.
At Louth Park, Valhalla Investments lodged an application to develop the existing two lot land into 176 lots for housing on Dagworth Road, which has been identified as a bushfire prone, gazetted within a proclaimed Mine Subsidence District and subject to flooding.
Maitland Council's Manager for Development and Environment said although the sites are prone to fire, mine subsidence and flooding, the development area has passed all the required assessments.
"There are areas around Louth Park that are subject to flooding, much like most parts of Maitland but, those issues have been well planned for and evacuation routes are sound for this particular subdivision.
"Mine subsidence does have a role to play in the approval of structures, having said that the Mine Subsidence Board have signed off on the principle of residential development.
Mr Simm believes the release of the land is a step towards addressing the population growth of the region.
"The population growth and the number of residential lots released over the past five to seven years demonstrate the demand for housing in the Maitland area," Mr Simm said.
Development site for 71 houses at Raymond Terrace Road, Thornton.
Development site for 176 houses at Dagworth Road, Louth Park.
A community meeting will be held tonight at the New Hope Community Church to combat the increase in crime to areas such as Wallsend, Maryland and Fletcher who have been calling for a permanent police presence.
The meeting aims to bring together a group to discuss the past incidents and look toward the future with ideas for a Neighbourhood Watch and guest speakers such as Senior Constable, Jeff Milton from the Waratah police and Bill Hackney, coordinator of the Hunter Region's Neighbourhood Watch.
Both will answer questions before the community who have any concerns surrounding local crime rates with an encouragement to attend for the importance of creating a safe and unified community.
Organisation of the event was conducted by the State member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery who is eager to establish a safe presence for the community under Neighbourhood Watch as she said, "We're looking at how we can best protect one another as a community from crime and this is a wonderful way to do that".
She described, "what we're trying to prevent by setting up a neighbourhood watch is particularly petty crime or unreported crime... a good neighbourhood watch will prevent many crimes because we are looking after one another".
Ms Hornery says she hopes this meeting and the organisation itself will bring "encouragement and knowledge to people and give them the confidence to report crimes when they see it".
The Meeting will be held at 55A Wentworth St, Wallsend at the New Hope Community church at 7pm.
