The much-loved and respected Emeritus Mayor of Willoughby, Pat Reilly passed away 20 January 2014. As we approach the first anniversary of his passing, we are asking the community to share their views on a fitting tribute that will allow the Willoughby community to recognise and remember his service in a fitting way.

Mayor Reilly was Willoughby’s longest serving Mayor being on Council for 27 years, the last 17 as Mayor. During this period he contributed enormously to the City of Willoughby.

Council at its meeting 14 July 2014 endorsed the expenditure of up to $35,000 to contribute to the tribute. Donations will be sought if the cost is over this amount.

Initial community consultation has gathered a list of tribute options. Council is now seeking to determine the community’s preferred option from this list. The selected item will be placed in a fitting location, and pay tribute to his life and contribution to Willoughby.

Tell Council what you think!

The Association’s printed newsletter (the West Ward News) has been in existence for over 25 years. Currently, the West Ward News is produced twice a year. 6,000 copies of the ‘News’ are distributed within the Ward. The News is supported by local businesses and is coast neutral to the Association.

The biggest challenge for the Association is delivering the News. We have a dedicated band of deliverers who have delivered the News over many years (some dating back to its inception). However, like many organisations, helpers tend to diminish. Recently we have had a number of new volunteers and that is great. However, there are still a couple of areas we need someone to deliver in. These areas are unit developments near the Highway. The beauty about delivering to units is that is possible to cover a large number of units in a small area and minimum time. If you can assist by volunteering no more that 4 hours a year please contact the Editor at cwwpanews@gmail.com or on 0477 299 763

The next edition of the West Ward News will be produced prior to the State Election in March. We plan to have the News to distributers by the 20th March.

2015 will pose many issues for Willoughby Council.

For the first time in over 20 years Council Officers will be led by an ‘outsider’. In 1993, after decades of Town Clerks, Council (encouraged by the State Government) recruited a General Manager (Michael Beilby) from outside local gavernemnt. This proved to be a short-lived experience. Four years later, Council promoted the then Director of Insfrastructure Services (John Owen) to the role of General Manager. On John Owen’s retirement, Council again promoted from within. This time Nick Tobin, the then Corporate Services Director.

With the appointment of Debra Just (see separate article) Council has again gone outside the existing organisation. Ms Just, like her previous two predecessors, has been promoted from previous ‘Directors’ roles to the top job of General Manager. We can only hope that this proves a wise choice by Council.

It will be crucial that the new General Manager (Ms Just) establishes herself quickly and firmly within the existing experienced General Magaers representing the other Councils of the Northern Regional Organisation of Councils). With the spectre of amalgamation becoming a reality, it is important that Willoughby Council achieves a central position in deliberations. Both the Mayor and the General Manager need to grasp the ‘amalgamation’ issue and set the standard.

On 28 March 2015, NSW goes to the polls to elect a new State Government.The outcome from this election is likely to have a significant impact on NSW local government. In particular, post the election it is expected that the State Government will increase pressure for Councils in the Sydney area to amalgamate.

Much of the pressure for Council amlgamations in Sydney has come from groups associated with property developers. They want a simplified and faster process to have their developments approved. The fear with such reforms is that local communities lose their voice and are not consulted as they have been in the past.

Anticipating the pressure for structural change to local government, the West Ward Progress Association has led an initiative to linkup with like-minded associations and groups across the lower North Shore. It is hoped by this initiative that we can assist Willoughby maintain it central position with[n the region.

Willoughby City has appointed highly experienced local government professional, Debra Just to the role of General Manager at Willoughby City Council.  The unanimous decision was made by Willoughby City Councillors following a rigorous recruitment process with more than 75 applicants.

“Debra is a perfect fit for Willoughby Council bringing a wealth of experience spanning Local Government, State Government and educational environments to Willoughby,” said Willoughby Mayor Gail Giles-Gidney.

“Debra has a well-established local government career with key positions including General Manager Strategy and Policy, City of Onkaparinga, South Australia (South Australia’s most populous council with more than 200,000 residents) and General Manager, City Strategy and Design for the City of Adelaide.

“Her illustrious local government experience has included leadership roles across a breadth of portfolios with significant expertise in city planning, development assessment, parks and open space, natural environment, sustainability, economic development, governance and organisational leadership. This experience is sure to build on the existing knowledge and culture of Willoughby.

“Debra’s recent role of General Manager, Urban and Portfolio Planning for RenewalSA will bring expertise in areas of affordable housing, urban design, social planning and sustainability to Willoughby.

“We are delighted to appoint Debra in this role.  Together we will continue to work very closely with our community, continue with our existing strategies and policies for the City and ensure Willoughby is a dynamic and highly functional government body.

Debra will commence her appointment at Willoughby City Council on 2 February 2015.

Debra Just’s portfolio includes:

Member of the Board

Adelaide & Mount Lofty Ranges Natural Resource Management Board

2006 – Present

General Manager Urban & Portfolio Planning

Renewal SA

2012 – 2014

General Manager, City Strategy and Design

City of Adelaide

2007 – 2012

Member of the Board

Southern Region Waste Resource Authority

2003 – 2007

General Manager, Strategy & Policy

City of Onkaparinga

1997 – 2007

Member of the Board

Onkaparinga Catchment Water Management Board

2002 – 2006

Christmas lights may be turning on across the North Shore, but residential electricity consumption in Willoughby City has fallen by a massive 18.6 per cent since 2006/07.

The decrease is being celebrated by Willoughby Council, along with a 9.8 per cent electricity reduction by the non-residential (small and large businesses) community.

The impressive figures are just some of the findings reported in Council’s Sustainability Report Card, part of the Willoughby City Annual Report, that show the Willoughby community has embraced an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

“This is an incredible effort by our local community. Willoughby Council promotes sustainability to our residents through a raft of initiatives, workshops and programs – but at the end of the day, it is our residents and business owners who have adopted better ways of living and working, and are now making a real difference. Congratulations!” said Willoughby Mayor, Gail Giles-Gidney.

“The two electricity consumption figures combined equate to an overall decrease of 12 per cent, which is extremely close to the ‘aspirational’ target of 15 per cent reduction by 2015, set out in Council’s Sustainability Action Plan.  Let’s make 2015 the year to reduce our energy even further,” Mayor Gail added.

Other key results from the Sustainability Report Card include:

•  Council reducing its own electricity consumption by more than 25 per cent since the last financial year; and
•  Increasing its renewable energy generation by 23 per cent through initiatives like a solar power farm that helps power several Council buildings. The solar farm produced 231,723kWh which is the equivalent of supplying 100 per cent solar power to 28 Willoughby homes for a whole year. It also saved around 250 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions and close to a saving of $60,000 in electricity costs.
•  Waste to landfill diversion by residents has improved by 14 per cent (since 2012/13), down to a historic low of 152kgs/person/year.
•  287 Bushcare volunteers provided more than 4,580 hours of assistance to keep Willoughby’s bushland areas in pristine condition in the last year.
•  A further 112 Willoughby businesses joined the Better Business Program in the last year, an initiative run by Willoughby, Lane Cove, North Sydney and Ku-ring-gai Councils to help local businesses improve their sustainability

One area identified as needing improvement is community water consumption, which increased 4.5 per cent in the past year.

Local residents are encouraged to attend one of Council’s many sustainability workshops or events in 2015. Learn how to save energy and water, reuse or recycle waste, reduce household costs, or even keep your own worm farm. Visit www.willoughby.nsw.gov.au for the full list of 2015 workshops or to sign up to the Local Living newsletter.

The full Sustainability Action Plan Report Card and Annual Report can be viewed at www.willoughbynsw.gov.au  

Council is considering the installation of freestanding advertising bollards in selected locations throughout the Willoughby Local Government Area (LGA).

Approximately 20 locations have been identified for installation. Each location has been independently assessed and approved from a traffic and pedestrian safety perspective.

In mid-2014, Council recorded within its Annual Financial Accounts an estimated cost of $38 Million to bring  its infrastructure to a satisfactory level. Council is currently undertaking a service review which has identified potential recurrent savings from existing operations, as well as potential new and improved revenue streams, to assist in funding this amount and future infrastructure funding needs.

All income derived from the installation of the advertising bollards will be directed to improving Council’s vast infrastructure network.

Proposed bollard locations in Chatswood include:

Railway St Before Victoria Ave, Chatswood

Pacific Hwy After Railway St, Chatswood

Railway St After Day St, Chatswood

Pacific Hwy Before Help St, Chatswood

Pacific Hwy Before Fullers Road, Chatswood

Pacific Hwy After Victoria Ave, Chatswood

Victoria Ave Before Anderson St, Chatswood

Victoria Ave After Archer St, Chatswood

Archer St Before Victoria Ave, Chatswood

Pacific Hwy Before Herbert St, Chatswood

Herbert St Before Pacific Hwy, St Leonards

Herbert St After Cleg St, Artarmon

High St After Alexander Ave, Willoughby

Chandos St After Darvall St, St Leonards

Hampden Road Before Jersey Road, Artarmon

Broughton Road After Hampden Lane, Artarmon

Sailors Bay Road Before Strathallen Ave, Northbridge

Sailors Bay Road Before Harden Ave, Northbridge

Eastern Valley Way Before Sailors Bay Road, Northbridge 

Pacific Highway before Mowbray Rd, Chatswood

You can comment on the proposals at www.haveyoursaywilloughby.com.au

The State Government is considering a third road crossing of Sydney Harbour. The proposal would see a tunnel linking the end of the M2 at Lane Cove to the Anzac Bridge. This would provide an alternate route to the city for M2 traffic (negating the need to use the Lane Cove Tunnel and the Gore Hill Freeway.

Contrary to the opinions expressed by ratepayers, Willoughby Council has resolved to lodge an application with the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal to increase rates  (via way of an infrastructure Levy) by 27.37% over the next 7 years.

The need for the levy is to address the backlog of infrastructure works that has built up over the past 30 years from when rate pegging was introduced.

Council was divided on the issue. There must have been one Councillor absent as the Mayor used her casting vote in favour of the motion to increase the rates