Great Lakes Council held a Special Rate Variation Proposal meeting at the Bulahdelah School of Arts on Monday 9 November at 6 pm.

The meeting was well attended by the Bulahdelah Chamber of Commerce members and approximately 25 other Bulahdelah residents who came to listen to the proposal and had questions about infrastructure and facilities.

Glenn Handford, The General Manager of Great Lakes Council, delivered a presentation that addressed the issue of being a ‘Fit for the Future’ council and introduced a Special Rate Variation that will improve the financial situation to build more roads and services in the future.

“Although we have made significant savings and efficiencies, we simply need more funds than the NSW rate peg can provide if we are to continue along the path of maintaining our existing assets – roads, parks, playgrounds, footpaths and buildings,” Glenn Handford states.

Glenn Handford also explained how a business improvement program is happening and this will allow wider community communication and operations teams talking to each other about issues rather than ‘upward and downward’ communication only.

This was in response to some requests for more effective communication between the Council and community groups and members.

Glenn Handford agreed that the Council members must have more discretion at local level and be task-orientated.
In response to local Bulahdelah concerns the following were addressed:

The issue of the Lee Street and Crawford Street roads are going to tender and will be fixed.

The Meade Street footpath designs have been completed and will be built this financial year.

A drainage strategy needs to be looked at in the Works Program for Bulahdelah.

And in regards to the cricket nets being pulled down at the Jack Ireland Sporting Complex, Glenn Handford personally apologised to the Bulahdelah locals who were present at the meeting about the situation.

Glenn explained, “We did not communicate effectively with the key people involved.

“We received many emails and phone calls about the situation and will make sure that the cricket nets will be replaced,” he said.

The Council’s Director of Engineering, Ron Hartley confirmed, “At present Council are getting quotes and the cricket nets will be replaced in a better condition.”