In early December 2019 we wrote to the Premier:

The Chatswood West Ward Progress Association (CWWPA) via the Willoughby Council Traffic Committee (where you are represented by Mr Ken Rutherford) and Willoughby Council have been lobbying the Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) over a number of years to get resolution of the problems that plague this stretch of Road. In a recent study, the road was judged to be the third worst section of road in Sydney from a safety and crash perspective. At the last meeting of CWWPA it was resolved that we write to the Local Member (Premier) advising that the Pacific Highway between Boundary Rd and Mowbray Rd and especially between Fullers Road and Albert Avenue is a known traffic black spot. We would appreciate advice from yourself on what your government is doing to address this issue.

We have received the following advice from the Minister for Transport and Roads. It appears that our lobbying has generated at least some changes to be implemented.

From what we can make out a “changeable message sign” is some form of electronic sign such as the ones below:

We are hoping for over the road gantries like along Military Rd.

Changeable Message Signs (CMS) are used in permanent positions above or adjacent to the roadway for lane designation or traffic management applications in New South Wales.

Whilst the Minister mentions some changes that have been made for city bound traffic on the Highway (traffic lights tilted down), nothing seems to be planned to control traffic exiting Albert Avenue approaching Centennial Ave.

Evidently, this is all the changes o be made as whilst an upgrade has been identified as being needed, there  is no funding available.

Sadly, state elections are not scheduled until March 2023.

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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 are pleased to advise the State Significant Development application for the upgrades to Chatswood Public School and Chatswood High School has been lodged with the Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE).

We anticipate the application will be placed on public exhibition for 28 days on DPIE’s major project’s website from early-mid next week. All submissions can be made directly to DPIE during the 28 day exhibition period once it starts. In the meantime, you can find information and documentation previously lodged with DPIE here.

You can also find information on our project website. The NSW Department of Education is temporarily changing some of the ways we keep you informed about our project in your community to account for social distancing measures. In lieu of community information sessions, the information boards and information pack that would normally be available to view in person will be loaded onto our project website once the public exhibition starts.

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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.

Usually when we talk about Council meeting ‘in camera’  we mean in closed session behind closed doors in a shroud of secrecy.

But no more (well sometimes).

The NSW Government has passed a Bill that amends the Local Government Act to allow councils to hold official meetings electronically instead of physically.

Virtual meetings will allow councils to continue to function and make decisions on behalf of their local communities while helping to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Under previous legislation, councillors had to be physically present at meetings and residents allowed to attend in person to watch them deliberate and make important decisions on behalf of the community.

For the next six months, these attendance requirements will be satisfied if council meetings are held remotely using audio visual links such as Skype. If that method is not available, council meetings will be able to be held in any other manner approved by the Minister.

To ensure meetings are open to the public, councils will be required to webcast their meetings. All councils have been required to webcast their meetings since 14 December 2019 under existing requirements.

Use of electronic meetings can be extended to 12 months if required.

The NSW government has passed legislation that will allow the Local Government elections scheduled for September 2020 to be postponed.

The Bill provides the power for the Minister to postpone the local government elections for 12 months, with a possible further extension to 31 December 2021, should the need arise. This is a time limited power that will automatically expire after 12 months.

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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.

In relation to Clr. Saville’s recent motion regarding ‘fracking’ the vote was equal, an number for and against. The Mayor had voted against the motion. The Mayor elected not to use her casting vote. That being the case, the motion is deemed lost. This is the first time in decades (or maybe ever in Council’s history) that a casting vote, when available, has not been cast.

When a vote is tied the Chair can cast a second vote to break the tie. It is completely up to the chair how that vote is cast. It can either be for or against the motion. In Westminster Parliament there is a ‘constitutional convention’ the second vote of the Chair is cast in favour of the status quo. However, indur Council’s code of meeting practice this is not required.

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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.

Currey Park has been inundated with turkeys, around 20 or so, and in addition to digging up the garden beds n the Park, they are also digging up the garden beds of the surrounding units. During the summer, 2 (or perhaps 3) turkeys managed to build a large mound near the child care centre and in the past months out popped all these turkeys. We believe the Council is intending to remove the mound and also put up signs asking people to stop feeding the turkeys, which is discouraging them from dispersing to other areas. The turkeys are getting slightly intimidating as they now sometimes approach people expecting to be fed.

The following motion will be put to at our next meeting this Thursday night: That we ask the Council what action they will take to resolve this problem.

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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.

Telstra has won a federal court action that allows them to install new pay phones with interactive advertisements without Council approval. However, the advertisements can only be for Telstra products. Commercials ads would require Council approval.

FULL STORY

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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.

The Australian Defence Forces are engaged with training exercises across Sydney during February and March. This involves military helicopters fly low over houses on the North Shore, even at night.

FULL STORY

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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.

With the crash of the international waste market Council officers recently provided the following information about waste management in Willoughby.

1. Sydney recycling plant to shut as market prices collapse, costs soar.
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/sydney-recycling-plant-to-shut-as-market-pricescollapse-costs-soar-20200211-p53znn.html

Willoughby Council was notified in December 2019 that Polytrade would cease recycling
operations on 31 January 2020. A new arrangement between JJ Richards and iQRenew
commenced on 3 February 2020 and will continue for the term of the waste collection
contract in July 2022.

The new recycling arrangement will cost approximately $1 million per annum more than what was originally budgeted however the cost to recycle the material is still less than the cost to send it to landfill. There will be no impacts on the budget in the current
financial year due to reduced costs in waste disposal. There are adequate Waste
Reserves to cater for the increased costs in the 2020/21 financial year.
2. Burning Waste for energy
https://reneweconomy.com.au/will-sydney-burn-its-trash-cleanaway-proposes-newwaste-to-energy-project-72404/

Council has no policy regarding burning waste for energy. We are currently waiting for
the NSW Governments 20 Year Waste Strategy discussion paper (set to be released this

3. The previous WCC Waste Committee and members of the community have over 20
years requested that WCC establish a food waste collection and recycling scheme.
In response to those concerns WCC undertook the Non Fatty-Food Waste
Collection Trial (1999) with promising results. However, food waste stream was
not progressed and food waste remains a large proportion of our waste. Outline
potential for council to establish an food/organic waste collection, similar to those
that operate in Melbourne, Penrith and Inner West LGAs.

The food waste stream is being addressed. Since 2007 Willoughby Council, as part of
the NSROC Waste Alliance, has processed its waste through Veolia’s Advanced Waste
Technologies (AWT) at Woodlawn Eco-precinct. This process extracts the organic
composition (food waste) to produce compost and capture methane gas which then
produces energy, this waste is being processed by Veolia. Veolia are awaiting a site
specific approval from the NSW EPA to use the compost-like product to rehabilitate the
old mine site at Woodlawn Eco-precinct.

4. Quantify wastes captured in GPT in total, and where possible the approximate
weight of waste (plastic, glass) captured that may otherwise be recycled. Quantify
costs to council to remove this waste that should not have entered our stormwater
systems. What other more effective systems may be developed to remove this
waste, litter and debris from streets, and stormwater and/or potential that this
waste be sorted and streamed?
The current year’s budget for GPT and Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) cleaning
is $100k. It is estimated that this year we will remove 250 tonnes of material from these
devices. In February 2019, an audit was conducted into GPT waste. The top five items of
litter are: Ceramics/Rock (30.1%), Plastic Film/Bags (22.8%), Textiles/Rags (8.5%),
Aluminium beverage containers (8%), woody organics (7.7%) and PET containers (6%).
These services are contracted to a third party service provider who claims to divert over
90% of this waste away from landfill. The waste is screened and then used to make
compost and soil mixes.

Willoughby City Council has delivered the majority of its GPTs as planned. The following
4 years will focus on:

• WSUD – creating more naturalised pond areas, rain-gardens and bio-retention
  areas.
• Street sweeping – Increasing the amount of street sweeping to reduce pollutants
  entering into waterways.
• Targeted pollution reduction – In 2021 Willoughby will be trialling surveillance and
  data monitoring to identify and target suspected polluters to reduce waste
  pollutants entering into waterways.

5. According to media (SMH 12.2.20) council may increase waste charges. Please
provide estimation of potential waste fee increases and when may these be
introduced.

The new recycling arrangement will cost an additional $1 million per year. However the
cost to recycle the material is still less than the cost to send it to landfill. There will be no
impacts on the budget in the current financial year due to reduced costs in waste
disposal. There are adequate Waste Reserves to cater for the increased costs in the
2020/21 financial year.

6. Extent to which council will be precluded from initiating other waste management
strategies (e.g. recycling plastics, food) as a result of the NSROC waste contract.
The NSROC Waste Alliance provides five councils in the region access to the $100
million dollar Advanced Waste Technologies (AWT) processing facility. If approval is
given to apply the compost to mine site rehabilitation, over the 10 year contract period up to 280,000 tonnes of waste will be diverted from landfill.

The NSROC Waste Alliance arrangement provides a solution for red-bin garbage and
clean up (bulky) waste. Council has an arrangement with SUEZ to compost garden
organics. This high quality compost has a very low contamination rate (less than 2%).
Council is now sending its recycling to iQRenew, and materials are being processed
locally.

7. Waste management in many multi-unit buildings is in need of improvement, as a
result of poor waste streaming, overflowing bins and presence rats. How can
council escalate strategies to improve waste education more effectively
throughout our community, improve waste management, re-use and recycling,
reduce waste, and eliminate rats and other feral vermin.
This year, Council is commencing a Multi-unit Dwelling waste project which will include
collaboration with strata, building managers and body corporates and involves
conducting a site audit of every bin room. The project will focus on ensuring Council’s
data on the number and type of bins at each premises is up to date and to ensure
buildings have sufficient recycling bins and appropriate signage. Council already
contacts strata and building managers with offers of free educational materials and letter box drops at buildings with waste management issues but is unable to install
infrastructure or signage on private property without the landowner’s consent.
Bin rooms need to be supervised by occupiers and building managers, so that they are
kept clean, excess waste is controlled and bins are not overflowing. Council may, upon
receiving complaint, direct the owners/occupiers by way of a Local Government Act 1993
Order to take appropriate action to ensure that the land is in a safe and healthy
condition. If the problem persists and is significant where vermin is identified, Council
may require a vermin proof garbage area to be constructed.

8. Plastic Free Willoughby – Quantify reduction in single use plastic bags and
containers saved within the LGA as a result of the initiative.
Council started working with the Chatswood markets in August 2018. Officers requested
all stallholders remove plastic bags, plastic cutlery, straws and plastic takeaway
containers. Council does not monitor and verify data on single use plastic at Chatswood
markets or any other location as it is not feasible to collect this information. However
anecdotally there has been a noticeable reduction in single use plastic.
In addition to this, the internal Willoughby City Council ban on single-use plastic has
drastically reduced plastic use due to the provision of reusable items which can be
borrowed for internal meetings, seminars and workshops.
Council is continuing to focus on single use plastic reduction. A new behaviour-change
app (Bye Bye Plastic) will soon be trialled to further encourage the reduction in plastic
use.

9. Proportion of Waste Levy collected by NSW government that is returned to
council.
The NSW Waste Levy raises nearly $800 million each year. According to a NSW
Parliamentary Inquiry in 2018, about 13 percent of the Waste Levy revenue was
reinvested in waste and regulatory programs, and a further 13 percent went to
environmental programs. In 2018/19, Willoughby City Council paid $2.2 million in Waste
Levy payments. Willoughby received around $110K during the same period as part of
the Waste Less, Recycle More grants program. In February 2019 Council wrote to the
NSW Premier and Minister for Local Government, Environment and Heritage for the
waste levy to be re-invested in the waste and recycling industry and to help build a
circular economy.

10. Capacity for council to advocate for increased and extended producer
responsibility e.g. for packaging.
Willoughby City Council joined the LGNSW ‘Save our Recycling’ campaign in December
2018, advocating for the Waste Levy to be re-invested in the waste and recycling
industry and to help build a circular economy.

11. Quantify proportion waste from demolition across Willoughby LGA that is
recycled. How is it monitored? Does it comply with council resolution that
minimum 85% building waste be recycled?
All Development Applications approved by Willoughby Council must include a Waste
Management Plan. This details how the development will achieve an 85% recycling
target. This is now standard practice for the construction and demolition industry in NSW, in part due to the waste levy (currently $143.60 per tonne) and high landfill disposal costs. It is now cheaper to sort construction and demolition waste and have it recycled than sent to landfill.

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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.

The motion below by Clr. Wright is quite interesting. Until you notice the motion is to NOTE the information provided, not actually to do anything about the issue.

Elections on the horizon?

Councillor Wright has indicated his intention to move the following Notice of Motion.
Motion: That Council resolves to:

NOTE:
1. During and following the recent floods on the Willoughby and across the State
thousands of residences have been without power for significant lengths of time
occasioning great hardship and expense.
2. As far back as 2002 the NSW IPART conducted an Inquiry into Electricity
Undergrounding in New South Wales, which highlighted the quantifiable and
unquantifiable benefits of undergrounding powerlines and cables:
i. Avoided costs associated with motor vehicle accidents
ii. Improved reliability of electricity supply
iii. Avoided maintenance cost
iv. Reduction in lost revenue to Distribution Network Service Providers
v. Improved public amenity
vi. Improved environment
vii. Improved public and workplace safety
viii. New opportunities
ix. Reduced health risks.
3. The Federal Parliament’s Inquiry in 1996/1997 found “In most Australian states,
underground power delivery is compulsory in new, outer suburban subdivisions
and this has had some impact in recent years. It is estimated that between 150
000 and 200 000 new homes are connected to underground power supplies each
year throughout Australia, and over a number of decades this will result in a
significant proportion of the national housing stock having underground
connection”.
4. The undergrounding of powerlines involved significant expense, further delay
increases the cost.

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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.