The North Shore Times has revived its print edition. This is now being delivered to household letterboxes. Unfortunately, it will only be delivered to 80% of households.

If you are one of the unlucky ones, they expect you to go and pick up your own copy (see the list of collection points at the end of this article).

There may be an alternative. They have also recommenced publication of the digital edition of the NST. BUT. Previous information they published stated that the digital edition is only available as part of a paid subscription.

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

Westfield has introduced 4 hours free parking (up from 3 hours). To receive the fours free you must register your vehicle registration with Westfield. To do this you need to install the Westfield Plus (+) app on your phone.  See here for full details.

If you do not register for 4 hours free parking you will be restricted to 2 hours free.

The 3 hours free parking allowance at Chatswood Chase has not changed

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

Clr. Saville has given notice of the following motion to Council:

That, in support of reliable and customer focused bus service provision:

Willoughby City Council write to the Minister for Transport and Roads to seek a meeting with Mayor and Chief Executive Officer to discuss the privatisation of State Transit Authority and the impact to on time running, bus stops and bus routes in Willoughby Local Government Area

Request a written guarantee from the Minister for Transport and Roads that:

•  On time running will remain at or better than the current rate of 95 percentage
•    There will be no reduction in the number or movement of bus stops without a formal public consultation process
•    There will be no changes to existing bus routes without a formal public consultation process

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

Each year, the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal may determine the annual fee payable to a mayor and councillor under section 241 of the Local Government Act 1993 (the Act). The fee is scaled according to the category a council falls within and the category can be determined at least once every three years under section 239 of the Act. This report presents the results of a recent reclassification of Willoughby Council and seeks to amend the fees paid to Councillors accordingly.

 In the 2018 and 2019, the Tribunal’s Annual Report and Determination, Willoughby City Council was categorised as a “Metropolitan Small” and had sought to be re-categorised to “Metropolitan Medium” due to the scale of operations, businesses, regional significance of its centres and high percentage of non-resident visitors workers and resident population.

In January 2020, Willoughby City Council again sought to be re-categorised as “Metropolitan Medium” with a focus on non-resident workers to be included in the population. The submission resulted with the Tribunal reviewing non-resident working populations across all metropolitan councils. The Tribunal came to the conclusion that there was a strong case to recognise the impact on councils of serving significant numbers of non-resident workers. The criteria now provides councils with a non-resident working population of 50,000 or above to move to another category if their combined resident and non-resident working population exceeds the minimum population threshold. The criteria for Metropolitan Medium has been amended as follows:

Metropolitan Medium: Councils may also be categorised as Metropolitan Medium if their residential population combined with their non-resident working population exceeds 100,000. To satisfy this criteria the non-resident working population must exceed 50,000.

 As a result, in the June 2020 Tribunal’s Annual Report and Determination, Willoughby City Council was categorised as a “Metropolitan Medium”.

The fees set for the 2020/2021 period will be set as per the revised “Metropolitan Medium” category rather than the general 2.5% increase consistent with the Government’s policy on wages and is set out in the below table:

A consideration  is given that Willoughby Council now only meets 10 times a re year, should they be expecting the maximum pay compared to  past years where Councillors were required to put in a lot more time and effort and particularly astherest of the community receives either nil or a maximum of 2.5% increase ?

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

Reserve Action Plans list the practical actions for individual bushland reserves within the Willoughby Local Government Area. They provide detailed site specific information including proposed management actions, maps of the reserves, reserve profile, statement of significance, reserve impacts, wildlife habitat issues, achievements and a native plant species list.

The key actions in the draft Coolaroo Reserve Action Plan 2020 include the removal of landscape encroachments, installation of signage and bush regeneration.

The draft Action Plan was exhibited on Council’s “Have Your Say” webpage, letters distributed to approximately 496 surrounding properties and signage located at Coolaroo

Reserve. The Natural Heritage Bushland Advisory Committee was also consulted via on site meetings and at committee meetings.

A total of 16 responses were received during this period, eleven via Have Your Say and five by email, fifteen of these provided submissions.

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

Council has prepared a submission on the State Government’s Infrastructure Contributions Reform Package to be forwarded to NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (‘DPIE’).Basically this covers the old s.94 developer contributions, voluntary planning agreements and the like.

A key plank in Council’s submission is further arguing the case for “value capture” contributions by developers. This is where the developer and Council share the profits generated by up-zoning land.

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

A petition from the Head Petitioner, the owners of Allure Café & Co, containing 67 petitions has been lodge with Council. The petitioners are seeking three parking spots on Freeman Road be allocated a 15-minute parking time from 6:30am to 6:30pm Monday to Friday.

BACKGROUND
The petition is submitted on the basis that it will allow residents to have quick parking and customers to have better access to cafes and restaurants on the corner of Freeman Road and Pacific Highway.

DISCUSSION
A copy of the petition has been distributed to Councillors electronically and via Council’s
portal. Members of the public may inspect a copy of the petition at Council offices.

OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION
That Council receive and note the petition seeking that the three parking spots on
Freeman Road be amended to 15-minute parking time from 6:30am to 6:30pm Monday
to Friday and refer it to the Planning & Infrastructure Director for consideration.

CONCLUSION
The petition is presented for consideration by Council.

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

Citing COVID-19 and the need for international co-operation, Clr. Saville is asking Council to remind our national leaders to ratify and sign the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (2017) without delay.

Officer’s comment: Council’s Nuclear Free Policy was adopted on 12 August 2002. On 26 June 2017 the Notice of Motion tabled by Councillor Saville ‘UN Negotiations to Outlaw Nuclear Weapons’ lapsed for want of a seconder.

Background provided by Councillor

The COVID-19 pandemic starkly demonstrates the urgent need for greater international cooperation to address all major threats to the health and welfare of mankind. Of paramount importance is the threat posed by nuclear

In any instance of a nuclear detonation, the council including the Mayor and Councillors will be among the first leaders required to coordinate local responses and guide the community.

We acknowledge the victims and survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the upcoming 75th anniversaries of these attacks on 6th and 9th August 2020. To commemorate these anniversaries, our council joins with other Councils across Australia and the world, including City of Sydney, and endorses the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons ‘Cities Appeal’.

The intent of the motion is aligned and consistent with Willoughby Council’s previous nuclear free resolution, with sustainability and resilient cities statements and policies.

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To become or renew as a member of CWWPA before March 30, direct deposit $10* with your name in the reference field to BSB: 032090 Acct: 548083 & complete our Membership Application.  *Non-refundable subject to meeting membership criteria.

We received the following from Clr. Saville –

The following information is courtesy of the Better Planning Network:

PLANNING PANELS REFORMS

The NSW Government has introduced reforms to how Planning Panels work. BPN is of the opinion that many of these reforms are not acceptable. Follow the link for a summary of the changes together with some of BPN’s concerns.

https://www.betterplanningnetwork.org.au/planning_panels_reforms

DEVELOPER INFRASTRUCTURE CONTRIBUTIONS

The NSW Government has introduced amendments to the payment of Infrastructure Contributions. Follow the link for a summary of the changes together with some of BPN’s concerns.

https://www.betterplanningnetwork.org.au/developer_infrastructure_contributions

HOW TO FIND MAJOR PROJECTS AND PLANNING PROPOSALS

As a result of BPN raising difficulties members had finding information on the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment website, the NSW Government has produced a guide on how to find developments in the fast track assessment scheme on the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE) website.

https://www.betterplanningnetwork.org.au/how_to_find_major_projects_and_planning_proposals