A committee of five councillors, including deputy mayor Cr Chris Holstein, has been set up to advise Central Coast Council on its participation in the NSW Government’s Crown Land Negotiation Program.
The Program involves negotiations between the NSW Government, Central Coast Council, Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council and the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to determine who will ultimately own and manage Crown Land on the Coast.
Mayor Cr Jane Smith said: “This is an opportunity for Council to identify qualified State-owned land that Council can seek to manage in the best interests of our community and protect our natural environment for generations to come.”
The committee includes a councillor from each ward: Cr Jane Smith from Gosford East; Cr Kyle MacGregor from Wyong; Cr Jillian Hogan from Budgewoi, Cr Chris Holstein from Gosford West and Cr Lisa Matthews from The Entrance.
Crown land can only be vested in Council if: the Minister is satisfied that the land meets the prescribed Local Land Criteria and is therefore suitable for local use; and the Council has agreed; and if the land is claimed under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983, Darkinjung Aboriginal Land Council and NSW Aboriginal Land Council have agreed.
The criteria include whether the land provides, or has demonstrated potential to provide, a public good predominately for residents in the local government area of the local council concerned, or in adjacent local government areas, in a way that is consistent with local planning instruments.
The land use needs to be consistent with the functions of local government or could be used for activities consistent with those functions, and the land has to be managed, or has identified potential to be managed, as a community asset by a local council or some other body.
Crown land on the Peninsula currently managed by Council includes the Burrawang Reserve in Hillview St, Woy Woy, which contains Umina Coastal Sandplain Woodland – rare bushland maintained by a Council bushcare group.
SOURCE:
Media release, 9 Jul 2018
Jane Smith, Central Coast Council
Agenda item 8.1, 9 Jul 2018
Central Coast Council ordinary meeting
Reporter: Jackie Pearson