In November last year Mayor Liz Innes has announced that Minister for Planning Anthony Roberts had finally signed off on a gateway determination for Council’s amendments to the Local Environmental Plan 2012. This request for a gateway determination was with the Department for well over 12 months waiting for their determination much to the frustration of all those in the community who had worked on the conditions and modifications they wanted. A NSW State Government departmental gateway determination was required for the approval request for a gateway determination and implement the recommendations of Council’s Rural Lands Strategy.
Above: extract of Planning and Environment response to inquiry July 2017
Councillors have now been advised that the gateway determination was approved, as submitted by Council, by the Minister in October last year. Why it hasn't become common public knowledge is unknown. Councillors, when questioned of the current status of the determination have defaulted to a response of "we don't know" however it Council staff admit they have known since October last year. One of the requirements of the gateway determination that was approved was that additional information and mapping had to be included in the proposal and that the Department had to approve this material prior to public exhibition. That material has now been with the Department for approval since early this year. Council staff have been advised that the Regional Office has now reviewed the material and have recommended to the Department’s head office that it is OK to proceed to public exhibition. As councillors are now aware the Eurobodalla Council is now awaiting formal advice from the NSW Planning Department so that they can proceed with the public exhibition of the planning proposal. Public exhibition will proceed as soon as practical after approval is obtained.
EDITORS NOTE: a letter to the editor on this subject from A. Brown of Catalina The Editor It’s clear our council elected representatives are not up to it, unable to properly or professionally represents the shire's Residents and Ratepayers. Unable to respond to residents questions with any accuracy and detail on matters they should be completely familiar with and apparently too lazy or incapable of asking questions or seeking assistance that may provide any questioners with truth and detail. It could also be a case of Council staff selectively choosing not to advise Councillors. The Rural Lands LEP business that’s been going on for years and is a very good example of councillors, when asked about it, not being able to answer simple questions. The rural lands business was one of the present mayor's election platforms not so long ago. Surely our councillors are up to speed with simple matters like the LEP and what’s occurring. Unfortunately evidence is available that shows they are not. Allan Brown
