Following Central Coast Council’s adoption of a Climate Change Policy last year, the community is encouraged to become actively involved in the program’s next phase with a series of place-based community workshops kicking off.Throughout 2020, Council staff will be conducting 17 community workshops and running online consultation to build a whole-of-community approach to climate action.

Central Coast Council has expressed concern at the worrying trend of social media comments inciting violent behaviour towards Councillors and staff ahead of Monday night’s Council Meeting.Council CEO Gary Murphy said that whilst the community can disagree with recent Council decisions, any behaviour threatening harm would not be tolerated.

Central Coast Council wishes to correct the record in relation to information provided to the Mayor that was shared with the media.In an Office of the Mayor media statement issued on 14 February 2020, it was mistakenly stated that Council had been waiting for NSW Government funding since June 2019.   Whilst Council submitted an application to the NSW Government’s Rescuing our Waterways Fund in November 2019 when the formal funding program had opened, Council had also proactively submitted a prior request for funding in June 2019 outside of the program open period.  Council was advised on 13 February 2020 that the funding application was successful and granted $600,000.

Central Coast Council, The Office of Emergency Management and Disaster Welfare will visit Mangrove Mountain on Wednesday 26 February from 5-8pm for residents requiring assistance and support following the flood and storm event.Council staff and other agencies will be on hand to provide residents with information and advice around recovery and clean up, as well as direct assistance with their properties.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said residents are encouraged to visit the centre for assistance.“As our community continues to clean-up after the storm, I’d like to remind residents that there is help out there for anyone that needs it,” Ms Vaughan said.“We want to make sure that any affected residents receive the right support and their lives return back to normal as soon as possible.

Due to limited public gallery capacity at Council Meeting Chambers and to ensure the safety of the community, attendees wishing to participate in the Public Forum and the Council Meeting will be required to sign-in in person on the day of the meeting.

Residents in the areas around Terrigal and the coastal lagoons are reminded they can drop in and have their water quality questions answered at Central Coast Council and the NSW Government’s final community information sessions.The Terrigal and coastal lagoons audit is a comprehensive monitoring program investigating water quality at Terrigal Beach and Haven, and Wamberal, Terrigal, Avoca and Cockrone Lagoons.Council’s Acting Unit Manager Environmental Management, Luke Sulkowski said the program, which began in January 2019, is progressing well.“A team of scientists, technical experts and operational staff from Council and the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment are working together to assess possible sources of pollution in each catchment, determine the impact on long-term water quality, and prioritise remediation works,” Mr Sulkowski said.“It’s been a busy summer for staff who have been regularly monitoring water quality as well as popping up in the community to answer any questions locals and visitors have as we progress deeper into the audit program.”Another initiative that has played an important part of keeping residents informed throughout the program is a new interactive pin map.

Central Coast Council and the Central Coast NSW State Emergency Service (SES) held a press conference in Wyong today to update the community on clean up and recovery efforts following the severe wet weather that has seen the region impacted with significant rainfall and king tides.Residents are being urged to contact Disaster Welfare on 1800 018 444 for any assistance if you require support.Over 650 trees and branches have fallen on public land or required maintenance and pruning due to structural defects, nearly 1,600 calls have been logged with the SES and thousands of people were left without power, with many people still impacted.Central Coast Council Mayor Lisa Matthews said Council is coordinating assistance and working closely with the NSW SES, Ausgrid and other agencies to support our community in our time of need.“It has been a tough few months for our community.

Solutions for the future of The Entrance channelCouncil has heard loud and clear from its community that a long term solution is required for The Entrance channel.The first step will be to set aside budget funding and to also seek grant funding to help guide the actions needed to improve the condition of the Tuggerah Lakes system and The Entrance channel.Preliminary designs for a long-term solution to the channel’s silting will be developed, while a dredging program will be considered in the short-term.Council will draw on previous studies conducted into the 2013 and 2015 to help guide the work.Mayor Lisa Matthews said the weekend’s storm event had been very distressing for all affected residents.“The Entrance channel has been a longstanding issue for the Coast community, and we all want to see the area thrive and residents able to feel secure,” she said.“Finding the best solution is a difficult and complex challenge and we are committed to getting it right.

Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews has welcomed the natural disaster declaration for the Central Coast announced by the State Government today. The declaration means that residents who have been affected by the recent event can get assistance and support to recover.

Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews has welcomed confirmation that Council has been successful in securing $600,000 in funding from the State Government to dredge The Entrance Channel. Central Coast Council applied in June 2019 for funding under the State Government’s Rescuing Our Waterways Program to continue its dredging program and will match the grant with $600,000 of its own funding. Mayor Lisa Matthews said it was great to see the long-awaited funding finally flowing for The Entrance Channel and the State Government on board to helping find a solution.

In a first for the region, two schools have joined Central Coast Council’s pilot program with Plastic Police® to create a localised circular waste stream to build roads out of soft plastics.Budgewoi Public School and St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School have joined the program that will see waste from common lunchbox items such as chip packets, muesli bar wrappers, sandwich bags recycled into a road resurfacing product called Reconophalt.Council Director Roads Transport Drainage and Waste, Boris Bolgoff said roads outside both schools had been renewed using Reconophalt during the summer school holidays to ensure there was no disruption to school communities.“As a result of high traffic flow, school drop off points require increased amount of road maintenance,” Mr Bolgoff said.“There are added benefits to using Reconophalt in our road projects beyond the reduction in waste as they become more durable with the plastic added.“The formulated mixture of recycled products in Reconophalt increases the lifespan of the road, as it is less likely to buckle and crack.  “One of the most common questions we have received from the community since we have started the trial is how they can get involved, which we will announce in the coming months.”The Reconophalt used to pave each of these streets when combined with bitumen contained 15 percent recycled materials, which included: Soft plastic bag and packaging equivalentsGlass bottle equivalentsUsed toner equivalentsReclaimed road (asphalt)Lukela Avenue, Budgewoi221,05341, 1765,04028 tonnesMelbourne Street, East Gosford301,95856,2476,88538 tonnesDirector of the Plastic Police® program, Samantha Cross said she was thrilled to see the program expand into schools and is looking forward to seeing the collaboration with Council progress.“Central Coast was the first Council to come on board following our initial trial and we are really excited about what we will be able to achieve this year as the program expands,” Ms Cross said.“We are passionate about further educating these school communities about the simple actions they can take to help further reduce the waste sent to landfill.“Plastic is a major environmental issue, with almost every piece ever created still in existence;

Central Coast Council is working with the SES, Ausgrid and other services to assist residents following the weekend’s severe weather event. Mayor Lisa Matthews said that safety was a priority for everyone involved. “The severe weather has caused fallen trees and broken powerlines across some roads and properties, in addition to flooding and debris impacting many locations across the coast,” Mayor Matthews said.“I urge everyone to be patient while Council, SES and Ausgrid methodically prioritise and manage the clean-up.

Central Coast Council is inviting dog and cat owners to take advantage of a free microchipping day on 15 February.Residents are encouraged to bring their furry friend to one of the Central Coast Animal Care Facilities at Charmhaven and Erina, to have them microchipped at no cost.Mayor Lisa Matthews said local pet owners are encouraged to take up the service.“Taking care of a pet is a big responsibility and getting them microchipped and registered with Council is an important first step,” Mayor Matthews said.“Domestic pets bring much joy to our lives and having them microchipped could prove crucial in identifying them if they did happen to get lost.

Construction work is now underway to rebuild the EDSACC South amenities building, Bateau Bay, to replace the previous facility destroyed by fire in 2015. Council’s director of Environment and Planning Scott Cox said these works will deliver an improved sporting facility for our northern region’s local sports clubs, players and spectators.“The new amenities building, which is due for completion this financial year, has been designed to meet the needs of current users of the EDSACC sporting complex and accommodate the expected future use.

Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews will move a Mayoral Minute at the rescheduled Council Meeting calling on the NSW Premier to visit the Central Coast to see firsthand the devastation caused by the recent extreme weather event. Services and infrastructure have been severely impacted on the Coast with numerous roads closed, powerlines down and services out and homes and businesses inundated by floodwaters. Mayor Lisa Matthews said the repair bill was unknown at this time but is growing with each day and recovery will be long. “Following the extended drought, we thought rain was the answer to all our prayers including for our waterways and our dams but we didn’t expect it to come in quite this volume,” Mayor Matthews said.

Central Coast Council is inviting young gamers to take part in the Ultimate Gamer Tournament.Open to local gamers aged 12-24, the six-round tournament held across the coast commences on Thursday 27 February at Erina Fair.Council’s Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the tournament is returning following last year’s popular inaugural event.“We are excited to bring the tournament back in 2020 following the success of our pilot program event last year,” Ms Vaughan said.“Last year over 200 people competed, with first, second and third place winners awarded.“This year we have new games for players to compete for a chance to win prizes from a total prize pool of $2,000.”Central Coast Mayor Lisa Matthews said the event connects young people on the coast.“Our youth are an important part of our community and Council is committed to creating opportunities to celebrate their achievements and abilities,” Mayor Matthews said.“The Ultimate Gamer Tournament is an opportunity for young people to showcase their gaming skills, compete, learn new skills, and meet new people in a fun environment."The tournament is open to all levels of ability and gaming experience and may appeal to people who are on the autism spectrum.A chill out tent space will be available for young people to relax or who may need a space to retreat.Each heat will be held in mobile gaming vans, with the capacity of up to 100 gamers per session, located at major shopping centres.Entry is free, with winners of each heat advancing to compete in the semi-finals and grand final in May.All heats will be held on Thursday nights 4.30pm – 7.30 pm at:27 February – Erina Fair12 March – Westfield Tuggerah26 March – Umina SLSC2 April – Lake Munmorah Shopping Centre16 April – Kibble Park, Gosford30 April – Lake Haven Shopping CentreThe semi-finals will be held at Erina Fair on Thursday 7 May, with the grand final at Westfield Tuggerah on Thursday 21 May, both from 4.30pm to 8.30pm.To register or find out more, visit centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/ultimategamer

With heavy rain forecast this weekend, Central Coast Stadium has made the difficult decision to postpone its 20th Birthday celebrations scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 8 February.The conditions forecast for Saturday will make it unsuitable to move forward with the outdoor event.The Stadium will announce the rescheduled event date next week.Council apologises for any inconvenience caused by postponing the event.

Central Coast Council has announced a brand new, four-part innovation series that will roll out free events across 2020.

Central Coast Council has made the difficult decision to cancel Love Lanes Festival scheduled for this Saturday 8 February due to the heavy rain forecast across the weekend.Loves Lanes Festival is primarily an outdoor event, with forecasted conditions on Saturday making it unsuitable to move forward with the event.Council is pleased to announce that a smaller scale version of the event will be held on Friday 6 March from 5-9pm with stalls, live entertainment, performances, activities and more.

Central Coast Council is once again encouraging residents to clear any unwanted hazardous chemicals in homes, garages and sheds to be correctly disposed of at the next bi-annual Chemical CleanOut events.The events will be held over two consecutive weekends on Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 February at the Event Park, Kariong (off Kangoo Road) and Saturday 29 February and Sunday 1 March at Long Jetty Depot, corner of The Entrance and Wyong Roads (turn left into Morris Place), 9am-3.30pm each day.Council Unit Manager Waste Services and Business Development, Andrew Pearce said for the first-time residents will be able to drop off up to 100 litres of paint.“It is fantastic to see an increased amount of paint accepted as it is consistently the most collected item, often accounting for more than half of the total amount dropped off,” Mr Pearce said.“All other materials continue to have a 20 litre or 20 kilogram maximum container size per item and paints must also be in containers of 20 litres or less for the health and safety of handlers.“I would urge everyone to use this opportunity and have a good search around their property to ensure safe and responsible disposal of any potentially hazardous items.“This includes any unknown or unidentified items as they will be accepted for identification and correct disposal.”Other items accepted include car and household batteries, smoke detectors, pesticides, gas bottles and fire extinguishers as well as fluorescent globes and tubes.Only household quantities are accepted.