Central Coast Council is helping young people 'help a mate' with a series of online workshops and video-based sessions exploring youth mental health and providing practical tips on coping with stressful life events.Kicking off this Wednesday with an online session from the Black Dog Institute, the series explores typical life events such as school or work transitions and exam pressures, along with the added crisis of living through a global pandemic.Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said when Council asked for young people’s input into the Coast’s Youth Strategy, they identified their own and friends’ mental health as being one of their top priorities.“With the help of Council’s Youth Action Team Y4Y, we’re providing ways young people can identify when they or a friend are at risk of experiencing poor mental health and giving practical tools to cope with stressful circumstances and build resilience,” Ms Vaughan said.“We’ve enlisted the expertise of one of Australia’s most respected mental health organisations, the Black Dog Institute, to talk about teens and young people and their mental health.”Suitable for young people, carers, parents and teachers, the full series of Help A Mate events is:Black Dog Institute online session, 15 July, 12pmVideo release – yoga, 29 July, 12pmAction Education online session - 12 August, 6pmVideo Release – meditation, 26 August, 12pmVideo Release – Y4Y - R U OK video tips & tricks, 9 September, 12pmMayor Lisa Matthews said helping young people learn how to be resilient through stressful times is an important investment society can make in creating a better future.“Our young people matter to us all, and we want them to move forward into their futures with the attitude and tools which will help them to find success and happiness in life.Register now for Wednesday’s online session at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/help-a-mate

Central Coast Council is calling for community members who live with a disability, family members or carers of someone living with a disability and people who work in the disability sector to submit an Expression of Interest to join its Access and Inclusion Reference Group.The Reference Group assists Council in implementing its Disability Inclusion Action Plan which sets out the actions Council will deliver to enable people with disabilities to better access mainstream services, facilities, information and support to be fully included and able to participate in community life. Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said this Reference Group will have an additional role.“The current Action Plan is in its final year, so the Reference Group will have the important task of helping us develop our new Disability Inclusion Action Plan which will help shape access and inclusion in our community from 2021-2025,” Ms Vaughan said.Mayor Lisa Matthews urged people with a lived experience of disability to get involved.“To be a truly responsive and inclusive community, our Coast needs to hear the voices of people who live with disabilities and understand the barriers they experience to full community participation,” Mayor Matthews said.Submissions are now open and close 5pm Thursday 23 July 2020.Further information available at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/EOI or by contacting Disability Inclusion Officer Jodie Frost Foster, 4325 8109 or Jodie.Frost-Foster@centralcoast.nsw.gov.au

Parthenium weed has recently been found in a Ravensdale chicken yard on the Central Coast.The weed causes health problems in humans and livestock, reduces carrying capacity of farmland, and contaminates grain.Central Coast Council Unit Manager of Environmental Management, Luke Sulkowski said that although the weed is uncommon in NSW, we need to be vigilant.“This finding of parthenium at Ravensdale, and at Engadine in southern Sydney earlier in the year have both been linked to contaminated, organic wholegrain chicken feed produced in Queensland,” Mr Sulkowski said.“This is a devastating weed, and the community plays a vital role in preventing it take hold in NSW.“If you think you have seen this weed on the Coast please contact Council immediately, or the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Biosecurity Helpline 1800 680 244, and our weed officers will help identify if it is parthenium and if so, help eradicate it.”NSW DPI State Priority Weeds coordinator, Nicola Dixon said with 20 infestations this year, NSW has had the highest number of parthenium incursions since 1999.“The community has played an important role in finding the weed and allowing Council weeds officers to remove and manage all infestations,” Ms Dixon said.“We have been able to successfully detect and eradicate parthenium weed in NSW since 1982, thanks to the actions of the community and weeds officers across the state.”More information about parthenium weed and how to identify the plant at different growth stages is available from DPI weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/Weeds/PartheniumWeedYou can also use an online form to record any weed sightings, biosecurity.transactcentral.com/Biosecurity/servlet/SmartForm.html?formCode=report-a-biosecurity

Central Coast residents have done it again, with the last Household Chemical CleanOut events for the region boasting a record-breaking number of vehicles attending and items collected.Earlier this year 3,496 vehicles passed through the gates dropping off 132.9 tonnes of chemicals at the bi-annual event hosted by Central Coast Council in conjunction with the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (DPIE).Now, new dates have been announced for the next Chemical Cleanout events:

Date – Thursday 16 July 2020Time – 8.30am to 10amZoom link (to participate in event) – https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-Yw64mniSHeTMtRo-lYKXgRSVP – Register via Eventbrite by 15 July 2020Central Coast Innovation Breakfast Series (online) July 2020As we move through the economic challenges from the impact of COVID-19 restrictions, it’s important for us to stay connected and focus on how we can use innovation to get us through this time and grow stronger into the future.Central Coast Council, with support from The Fifth Element incubator accelerator, are proud to bring you the online Central Coast Innovation Breakfast Series.July topic - Future of EducationIf we suddenly lost our memories and had no concept of education, what would the learning journey look like?

Central Coast Council are set to save around $220,000 each year on energy expenses following the installation of an additional 1.2MW of solar power on Council buildings.Council are in the process of installing 3,500 rooftop solar panels on 28 Council owned buildings with works due for completion by the end of 2020.This project will see energy consumption reduced by approximately 1.4GWh annually and reduce Council's carbon footprint by 1,100 tonnes of CO2-e per annum.

Central Coast Council has released two draft Floodplain Risk Management Plans and Studies for public consultation.The two documents, one for the Wallarah Creek catchment and the other covering the combined Killarney Vale/Long Jetty catchments, utilise information from floodplain risk management studies, offering options to mitigate the risk of overland flooding caused by excessive rainfall.Central Coast Mayor, Lisa Matthews said that Council understands these communities have been through a lot recently, and that the consultation period has been extended to allow all voices to be heard.“The communities that these floodplain plans and studies address have been directly impacted by either bushfires or flooding in the last six months.

The quality and responsible use of water across the Central Coast remains firmly on our agenda with two new policies now on public exhibition for 28 days.Throughout July, residents will be able to have their say about both the Draft Drinking Water Quality Policy and Draft Recycled Water Quality Policy online.The Draft Drinking Water Policy consolidates the previous policies of the former Wyong Shire and Gosford City Councils and demonstrates Council’s commitment to providing continuous supply of drinking water that is consistent with the requirements of the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines.Additionally, the Draft Recycled Water Quality Policy, based on the former Gosford City Council Policy, reinforces Council’s commitment to the responsible and sustainable management and use of recycled water that is consistent with the Australian Guidelines for Recycled Water.Consolidating the two policies allows us to focus on the immediate water needs of the Central Coast as well as begin to take the first tentative steps of planning for future population growth.The drought of recent years and having to constantly monitor the dam storage levels clearly reminds us that water is a precious resource and we can’t afford to waste it.Have your say online on both water policies at yourvoiceourcoast.com   Mayor Lisa MatthewsCentral Coast Council

The Grant McBride Baths at The Entrance will reopen on Tuesday 7 July after undergoing extensive maintenance.Central Coast Council has used the Baths’ enforced COVID-19 closure to carry out extensive repairs to all pools, along with maintenance on the viewing deck, shade sail, amenities, stairs and handrails.A lifeguard will be present at the Baths each day between 8am and 1pm.We would like to thank our community for taking the COVID-19 situation seriously.

In line with the NSW Government’s further easing restrictions of COVID-19 restrictions, Central Coast Council’s Gosford administration office will reopen for customer service transactions, including planning-related enquiries, from Monday 6 July.Customer service transactions are also available at five libraries:

Council is piloting new technology to help commuters find available car park spaces faster and more easily whilst reducing traffic congestion caused by drivers looking for car parking.The Smart Parking program is now being trialled at the West Gosford’s Racecourse Road car park using cameras equipped with smart parking analytics that identifies if a space is available.

Central Coast Council has demonstrated that a road project – including road base, road surface, kerb and guttering, footpaths and drainage – can be built with over 90 percent recycled material.Significant environmental benefits have been achieved on what looks like a typical road upgrade in Wyongah – with the majority of materials sourced from recycled household and construction products.Council Director Roads Transport Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said the project recycled over five million glass bottles, 270 kilograms of plastic and thousands of tonnes of used concrete and road gravel.“This project represents a milestone in Council’s commitment to sustainably develop and maintain the Central Coast’s 2,200 kilometre road network,” Mr Bolgoff said.“We started from the bottom and worked our way up – instead of virgin sand we used recycled glass for trench backfills and the sub-base of the road, and the road base itself is made from recycled crushed concrete and the existing road pavement.“For kerb and guttering and the footpath we used a ‘Green concrete’ made from fly ash (a by-product of coal fired powered stations) and recycled glass sand, with the reinforcing made out of recycled plastic, saving the equivalent of 50,000 plastic bags.“We also used the latest construction techniques to save over six thousand kilograms of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere – that’s the equivalent of a 25,000 kilometre car trip.“Our goal was to build a road project predominantly out of recycled material without compromising on quality or costing any more than a standard road project and we are thrilled to have achieved that objective.”The materials used, and technology developed for this project, will be rolled out across Council’s road construction program to generate significant environmental savings on a yearly basis.Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council is combining its commitment to sustainable practices and methods and delivering for the Coast’s large road network.“To complete every element of a road project with over 90 percent recycled materials is an incredible achievement and a reflection of Council’s commitment to sustainability and innovation,” Mayor Matthews said.“This project demonstrates that we can deliver projects with a significantly reduced impact on our environment without impacting the cost or the time it takes to get the job done.”Further innovative products and techniques recently used by Council to deliver for the region’s road network include:Australian-first ‘road train’ technology to lay foamed bitumen in a way that reduces construction time, increases use of recycled road pavement, reduces greenhouse emissions and delivers a more consistent road surface.Use of ‘Reconophalt’ road surfacing product made from plastic bags, glass bottles, used printer cartridges and reclaimed road asphalt.Sourcing of waste from local primary schools – chip packets, muesli bar wrappers, sandwich bags – for recycling into Reconophalt.

With this week’s fine weather and the school holidays fast approaching, many of you are keen to get outdoors to exercise, following COVID-19 physical distancing rules of course!This means our beaches in particular are very busy, so it can be hard to stay far enough away from others who are also exercising.Why not take this opportunity to experience all that the Central Coast has to offer, holiday at home and explore your own backyard?

Council defers consideration of Operational Plan 2020-21 to JulyCouncil will defer consideration of submissions and adoption of the Operational Plan 2020-21 until its meeting on 27 July 2020.This option for NSW Councils to finalise budgets for the new financial year before 30 July instead of the traditional 30 June cut-off date, was made permissible by the Minister for Local Government in April.  It was due to the extenuating circumstances being faced during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency.Mayor Lisa Matthews said that the additional time would be beneficial to ensure that the final budget proposed was in the best interests of the Central Coast community.“We have had to look at the 2020-21 budget with fresh eyes,” said Mayor Matthews.“As we don’t need reminding the COVID-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on the way that we work, a huge impact on business, and Central Coast Council is no exception.  Whilst the financial impacts are not yet fully understood for Council, ratepayers, or business;

Professional artists and producers across all art forms and cultural practices are invited to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) for Central Coast Council’s Creative Art Central annual program.Creative Art Central will deliver up to $15,000 per project for five successful local professional artists/producers to deliver Central Coast based projects, with up to two of these five spaces, for returning recipients to fund subsequent stages of larger projects.Council’s Community Partnerships Unit Manager, Glenn Cannard said the program plays a key role in building our local creative industries’ footprint and has wide flow-on benefits.“Creative Art Central allows us to commission professional artists to deliver a variety of new quality projects to help promote, celebrate and activate the Central Coast,” Mr Cannard said.“By providing opportunities to commission new works and investing in the local creative economy, we not only assist with nurturing the growth of local artists but also in promoting stronger partnerships within the creative industries on the coast.”Successful applicants will also have an opportunity to work closely with allocated project partners within key established arts organisations and venues including Central Coast Conservatorium, Gosford Regional Gallery, Laycock Street Community Theatre, NAIDSA, The Art House and specialist staff within Council’s Community Partnerships Unit.Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council strongly encouraged diversity amongst applicants from all art backgrounds.“Professional community members from all culture practices and diverse backgrounds, across all art forms or production are encouraged to submit an EOI,” Mayor Matthews said.“Since its inception in 2011, Creative Art Central has produced a range of new creative initiatives across diverse art forms.“We’re proud to be able to provide an opportunity to assist creatives who are passionate in their craft.”2020-21 Creative Art Central EOI process:Applicants discuss proposed project and register expression of interest with Liesl Harvey, Cultural Development Worker:

As the NSW Government’s restrictions continue to ease on the Central Coast, attention has naturally shifted towards the economic challenges of a post-COVID world, and how our community will recover.Asking ourselves how we can shape our economy, create jobs and opportunities for our residents, and attract new business to the area is something that we have been looking at for many years.At our Council meeting on 9 June, we endorsed for public consultation two documents that outline our long-term vision of how we can rise to meet the economic challenges both in the short and long term.By 2040, the Central Coast will welcome nearly 88,000 new residents, our economy will grow by over $21billion, and over 72,000 new jobs will be created.The Draft Economic Development Strategy 2020-2040 is the first ever coast-wide economic strategy.An Economic Recovery and Resilience Framework has also been prepared to refocus Council’s approach to the forthcoming economic crisis and prioritise key action items to support the local economy.Ultimately, our plan is to ensure that our economy will be strong, diverse and resilient, delivering opportunity and benefits to our community and I would encourage everyone to have their say online at yourvoiceourcoast.comMayor Lisa MatthewsCentral Coast Council

Central Coast Council has developed the region’s first overarching Economic Development Strategy and Recovery and Resilience Framework which are currently on public exhibition for the community to submit feedback.The Central Coast economy has been hit hard by floods, bushfire and COVID-19 and Council is committed to facilitating a quick recovery and laying the foundations for sustainable growth and future resilience.Council Unit Manager Economic Development and Project Delivery, Jamie Barclay said the Economic Development Strategy aims to strengthen and future-proof the local economy.“This Strategy is focussed on initiatives that will provide the greatest tangible benefits to our economy and our community by harnessing the region’s strengths and taking full advantage of the identified opportunities,” Mr Barclay said.“We have identified how our region can grow and develop though targeted investment, improved partnerships and promotion of our region as a desirable place to do business and visit as one destination.

Rates rise confirmed for FY 2020-21Following a determination from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART), Council has resolved to accept a rate rise of 2.6 per cent for the 2020-21 financial year.The increase will take effect from July and will be incorporated into the ordinary and special rates.In accordance with the Local Government Act, IPART approved a rate peg increase of 2.6% for 2020-21.

A second round of community consultation is now underway for the new Lake Munmorah Recreational Facility to create a space which meets the community’s needs now and into the future.Council is continuing plans for the Recreation Facility for Lake Munmorah, incorporating a skate park and regional play space as part of Council’s commitment to provide active spaces that promote social inclusion and provide health and wellness benefits for the community.The skate park and regional play space will be located adjacent to the Lake Munmorah shopping centre on Tall Timbers Road and will provide an inclusive recreational space for a range of ages, abilities and skills, provide a safe and accessible venue for community activities and attract regional and significant skate events.The first round of community engagement activities for the proposed facility was held last year to seek initial input and comments on what you wanted to see designed for this new space.

Central Coast Council continues to inspect and repair critical sewerage infrastructure across the Coast as part of its rolling program to improve the performance and reliability of the network.Sewer mains in 45 Central Coast suburbs have been rehabilitated this financial year using an innovative technology that extends the life of the infrastructure by up 50 years.Council Director Water and Sewer, Jamie Loader said that Council’s maintenance program has improved reliability, lowered the risk of environmental discharges and ensured the Central Coast is well positioned to cater for future population growth.“We have an ongoing maintenance program for our extensive 2,649km sewer network and our focus is on rehabilitating damaged sewer pipelines or replacing end-of-design-life equipment,” Mr Loader said.“We’re using an innovative technique to rehabilitate damaged sewer pipelines with structural re-lining, rather than replacing the infrastructure, and we start by clearing the pipe and assessing the conditions of sewer lines via CCTV camera.“If required, we insert a liner that reinforces the existing pipe structure, sealing any leaks and significantly reduces the risk of future damage – particularly from tree roots, the number one cause of sewer blocks and overflows.“This technique also eliminates the need to excavate in most cases, which minimises disruption to the community and reduces repair costs.”Mayor Lisa Matthews said significant investment in critical infrastructure now will ease the pressure on the network from a growing population while also enhancing the liveability for residents.“The Central Coast region is a fantastic place to live and it is essential we plan for the future to ensure we have adequate and sustainable infrastructure to meet expected demand,” Mayor Matthews said.Council actively monitors and tests the effectiveness of our sewer mains network across the Coast and these results indicate areas due for maintenance.Residents experiencing any water or sewer concerns are urged to contact Council immediately – any time day or night – on 1300 463 954.Find out more about our key water and sewer projects that happening this year online at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/waterandsewerprojects.