This week marks the commencement of Youth Week 2022!

Central Coast Council invites you to explore the hidden gems and discover forgotten laneways at Love Lanes Festival, which is back for its fifth year this Friday 8 April. Held in Wyong’s CBD from 4:00pm-9:00pm, Love Lanes Festival is set to showcase Wyong in its best light with four lanes, four stages and one park.This one-day festival is a combination of colours, sounds and smells with the buzz, hype and vibe of an outdoor community street festival, encompassing the theme of 'love'.Guests will enjoy live music, roving entertainment, food and market stalls, a kid’s zone, circus performances and more!Love Lanes was originally planned to take place in February, just two days before Valentine's Day, however, due to the restrictions and COVID implications at the time, this year's event was postponed until April. For more information, view the full program for the 2022 Love Lanes Festival.

Council has issued a strong warning to residents and visitors to stay off The Entrance North Beach, north of the Wyuna Street access way and south of The North Entrance Surf Life Saving Club due to serious safety risks.The foreshore of The Entrance Beach was significantly impacted from dangerous surf conditions, strong winds and high tides from last Friday which continued through the weekend.

Council acknowledged the State Government announcement this week about the Greater Sydney Commission developing the Six Cities vision for metropolitan NSW.Council CEO, David Farmer said the inclusion of the Central Coast highlighted the strategic importance of our region.“Bringing the Central Coast into strategic planning alongside Newcastle, Wollongong and Sydney has the prospects of seeing more opportunities open up for funding big game changing infrastructure to benefit the whole region,” Mr Farmer said. “We look forward to working with Elizabeth Mildwater, Greater Sydney Commission’s Chief Executive Officer and Sarah Winter, Greater Sydney Commission’s Executive Director for Central Coast and Macquarie Park to ensure the Central Coast can reach its full potential as part of the overall plan."Council Administrator, Rik Hart said the Greater Sydney Commission recognised that it was important for Council to have a seat at the table in planning and delivering on the strategic vision for the region. “Our community’s voice will be important in the development of the six cities strategic plan as they know what is needed for the Central Coast to thrive and be a dynamic part of the new vision for metropolitan NSW,” Mr Hart said.ENDS  

Council acknowledged that the commitment of both the Federal and State Governments to invest in the Tuggerah-Wyong rail upgrade was good news for the region.  “This funding announcement seems to take the prospect of a high-speed rail link between Newcastle and Sydney a step closer,” said Council’s CEO Mr David Farmer. “Our community stands to benefit from these steps towards improved connectivity, better public transport capacity and infrastructure generating jobs,” Mr Farmer said. Council Administrator, Rik Hart said the announcement showed that positive community outcomes can be achieved when both sides of politics work together. “Delivering essential infrastructure to accommodate the growing Central Coast region and to facilitate good economic outcomes is not a solo enterprise,” Mr Hart said. “The community benefits when all levels of government work together." 

Last weekend Central Coast Council was host to the 2022 National Town Crier Championships.

Four Central Coast town centres will come alive this April and May with ‘Social Spaces’ – a series of pop-up activations aimed at bringing the community together and attracting visitors to Gosford, Wyong, The Entrance and Toukley to create vibrant and engaging spaces.Council Unit Manager Community and Culture, Glenn Canard said this initiative helps boost local businesses and create vibrant spaces in important town centres this autumn.“Social Spaces is all about revealing the hidden treasures and spaces of Gosford, Wyong, Toukley and The Entrance and filling them with community events, pop-up dining experiences, school holiday activities and seasonal entertainment,” Mr Cannard said.“There will be two months of exploring amazing local food, kids’ activities, roving entertainment and more fun activities from Sunday 10 April until Sunday 29 May.”Program highlights:School holiday activities – petting zoo, laser skirmish, mobile games truck, roving easter bunny.Pop up dining experiences – if you enjoy great food, great music, festoon lighting, picnic rugs and great company, then you will enjoy Social Spaces’ pop-up dining experiences.

Council notes the orders of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales in the matter of Verde Terra v Central Coast Council.

Central Coast Council confirms that no settlement payment has been made by Council in relation to former CEO Gary Murphy’s defamation claim against Council and former Interim Administrator Dick Persson AM. Mr Murphy filed a Notice of Discontinuance of this matter in the District Court of New South Wales on Thursday 24 March.

Council welcomes today’s announcement of additional funding by the State Government towards the Pacific Highway Upgrade through Wyong.Council Administrator, Rik Hart said Council has been a champion for the upgrade of this State road as a catalyst to easing congestion in a key bottleneck area on the Coast.“Our community can feel more confident now that this upgrade will happen,” Mr Hart said.“This is what can be achieved when all levels of government are working together towards meeting their obligations to deliver essential infrastructure for the growing Central Coast region.“I look forward to seeing construction begin in the coming years,” Mr Hart said.More information on the Wyong Pacific Highway upgrade is available online at www.rms.nsw.gov.auENDS

Surf Life Saving Central Coast (SLSCC) plays a significant role in our community.

Audited financial reports for 2020-21 are adoptedCouncil has adopted the 2020-21 audited financial reports for Central Coast Council and the Central Coast Council Water Supply Authority.Council’s consolidated net operating result for the financial year ending 30 June 2021 is a deficit of $70.7M excluding Grants and Contributions for capital purposes.

Central Coast Council’s fleet of battery and hybrid electric vehicles (EVs) are generating financial benefits and local opportunities as the cost of fuel continues to climb.Council’s long-term strategy to transition its light commercial and passenger vehicles to an EV fleet, is also in line with the NSW Government’s ‘Electric & Hybrid Vehicle Plan’ and aims to leverage benefits as outlined in a 2020 ‘Uncovering the hidden costs and benefits from Electric Vehicles’ report by EY for the Electric Vehicle Council.

Central Coast Council is calling on creatives and event organisers to run workshops, activations, master classes or live performances and events to be part of the first ever Central Coast Music Festival program in Gosford. Central Coast Music Festival will debut from Saturday 12 to Sunday 18 September 2022 and deliver a live music festival unlike any other event in the region.

The major upgrade of Gosford CBD’s water and sewer network is approaching an important milestone with Central Coast Council to begin key works at Showground Road, Adcock Avenue, Young Street, Racecourse Road and Central Coast Highway from March 2022.This critical new water and sewer infrastructure for Gosford – proudly funded by the NSW Government through the Housing Acceleration Fund (HAF) and part of a $42.5 million funding package – will future-proof the city for forecast population growth and enable the flagship development needed to create a fitting capital for the Central Coast. Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader said the next phase of transforming Gosford starts underground. “Gosford is a rapidly changing city – we’ve seen a number of major developments completed and a great deal more are planned and forecast – it is vital that we have the water and sewer infrastructure in place to ensure Gosford’s potential is realised,” Mr Loader said.“Through HAF funding Council is delivering a series of major projects across the Gosford CBD to upgrade and future-proof our assets and ensure the city has a reliable water and sewer service now and well into the future.“The upgrade works span 66 water and sewer projects and stretches from the Gosford waterfront, through the Gosford CBD shopping precinct, to areas in the vicinity of Gosford Hospital and Gosford Golf Course."Some key works around Gosford Hospital were completed early to meet the demands of the newly upgraded facility, this included increasing pipeline diameters and constructing a ring main around the hospital to improve surety of supply.“We are now moving forward with the remaining program of works that will be key to ensuring the revitalisation of Gosford is realised.” Sewer projects to get underway from March include:replacement of Sewer Rising Main for Pumping Stations at Showground Roadreplacement of Sewer Pump Station at Showground Road and associated Gravity Mains, Rising Main and PSS works.

Audited financial reports for 2020-21 are adoptedCouncil has adopted the 2020-21 audited financial reports for Central Coast Council and the Central Coast Council Water Supply Authority. Council’s consolidated net operating result for the financial year ending 30 June 2021 is a deficit of $70.7M excluding Grants and Contributions for capital purposes.

As the recent severe weather event threatened the Central Coast, Council formed an Incident Management Team in advance of the impacts being realised to ensure that we were mitigating the potential impacts to our community as much as possible.Council closely monitored weather predictions, roads, lakes, waterways and beaches for potential flooding and storm impacts as heavy rainfall and unpredictable weather hit the region.

On Saturday 26 March 2022, Town Criers from across Australia will gather at Alison Homestead in Wyong as the Central Coast plays host to the 2022 National Town Crier Championships.From 12.30-3.30pm, the nation's best Town Criers will be representing their areas and competing for the title of Australian Champion of Champions.Central Coast Town Crier and current Australian Champion, Stephen Clarke is thrilled at the opportunity to showcase our wonderful region, as well as be the host for this year’s event.“We are inviting the community to come along and enjoy this fun and very colourful event,” Mr Clarke said.Council Administrator, Rik Hart said Council was delighted to be hosting the national event, which offers an unusual and entertaining experience for all ages.“This is an example of the diverse types of events and activities Council supports on the Central Coast,” Mr Hart said.“On the same weekend as the Town Crier Championships, Flavours By The Sea is also being held at Terrigal – so there’s something on the Coast for everyone to enjoy.”The Championships, which have been running for 32 years, are held under the authority of the Ancient and Honourable Guild of Australian Town Criers.Town Criers compete against one another for the titles of Champion of Champions, Loudest Cry, and Most Extravagant Outfit!The competing Town Criers each perform two cries – one about their own hometown and another about the host town.

Council is inviting the community to comment on plans to consolidate informal tracks in the Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland between 17 March to 14 April, to share thoughts on the management of these areas. Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland (UCSW) is a unique group of plants and animals that co-exist together on the coastal sands of the Umina-Woy Woy Peninsula, and is listed as an endangered ecological community (EEC).The region’s natural assets are rich and diverse, and their conservation and protection is important.

I support the Minister for Local Government’s response to the Commissioner’s eight recommendations and welcome the much anticipated release of the Commissioner’s report following the Public Inquiry into Central Coast Council’s financial crisis.