Two controversial Central Coast Council projects have been put on the backburner – and will be dealt with after the September local government election puts 15 councillors back in control of strategic decisions on the Coast.
Administrator Rik Hart adopted a staff recommendation at the February 27 meeting to defer any work on a Mountain Biking Plan and any decision on the Winney Bay Cliff Top Walk.
In 2018, the then NSW Premier announced funding for Stage 2 of the Cliff Top Walk.
Council considered the matter on a number of occasions in 2018 and in September 2019 resolved to seek costings and community feedback on options.
The resolution called on Council to accept the funding offered from Infrastructure NSW – with the proviso that Council continued its plan to consult the community to see which proposal it preferred: Plan A, B or C.
But there was a problem with that.
Infrastructure NSW told Council on August 28, 2019, that the funding was for Plan A and some components were non-negotiable.
It had already backed away from market stalls but still wanted to build a bridge and another lookout.
Councillors were split on going with the state’s plans or reducing the size and impact of the path.
Not long after the Council decision, the NSW Government withdrew the funding.
Despite that, community consultation on the proposed options was undertaken in 2020.
But that feedback – from four years ago – has never been tabled in Council.
“A diversity of opinion about the project was expressed during the 2020 consultation process,” Council says.
“Given this diversity of opinion, and that due to there being no current funding source for the project to proceed, it is proposed that an elected Council would be better placed to consider the outcomes of the community consultation.”
Diversity of opinion also arose with Council’s Mountain Biking Plan.
Back in December 2021, Administrator Hart resolved that Council-under-administration would develop a Central Coast Mountain Biking Plan.
Councillors, before they were sacked, had put off any decisions until a feasibility study was done.
By the time the study came back for consideration, the Council was under administration.
Interim administrator Dick Persson put it out for public discussion which took place in 2021.
It brought out both supporters and critics.
Hart, who was the interim CEO under Persson, was the Administrator by the time a report on the public exhibition came back to a meeting.
He endorsed the development of a Mountain Biking Plan, adding: “Council recognises the risk of harm to the environment, heritage, and public safety from unauthorised trail construction on Council land and that education, enforcement and trail closures will be an ongoing responsibility of Council in order to manage risks.
“However improved outcomes for reserve management will be reliant on a proactive approach to increase supply at suitable sites due to limited enforcement resources and the size of the region.”
Development of the plan was to be led by Council staff in collaboration with an “active stakeholder” working group.
But that hasn’t happened yet.
The plan was to establish a strategic framework and select suitable sites, including investigating the feasibility of, and issues with, constructing dirt jumps on suitable Council land.
That also hasn’t happened yet.
Hart’s resolution stated that the project was to be considered for funding through Council’s budgetary processes.
The budgetary process “may include applying for external funding from grants, developer contributions or cost or service reductions”.
A Council update tabled at the February 27 meeting explained that work had not progressed due to the “unavailability of funding”.
Staff have put it up for consideration for funding in Council’s 2024-25 draft budget which takes effect from July 1.
Hart makes the final decision on the budget, which is usually adopted in June.
Meanwhile, the tabling of the airport master plan, which was supposed to be adopted by the end of 2023, is now running six months behind schedule.
The updates were presented as part of a new Council item to regularly update the administrator on the status of projects.
Merilyn Vale