Editorial –
This week’s first ordinary Council meeting offered a cautious sense of optimism for the Central Coast.
Newly-elected councillors from Labor, Liberal, Team Central Coast and Independents came together to pass an audited financial report showing a $38M surplus, a financial picture that, while promising, deserves close examination.
Deputy Mayor Doug Eaton voiced concerns over a significant backlog of infrastructure jobs, casting a shadow on the figures presented by the previous Council administration.
Councillors also scrutinised the all-important and erroneously named Community Strategic Plan, noting issues that reflect a troubling disconnect from our region’s current needs.
Concerns included outdated statistical data and questions regarding the use of consultants with limited local expertise.
Such shortcomings cannot be overlooked in a document that will guide future investments.
For the Central Coast, a sound, data-driven plan grounded in the realities of our community is essential.
An important development this week was the suggestion of an economic development committee.
This committee, if effectively managed, could play a vital role in securing state and federal funding for regional priorities: roads, water infrastructure, clean energy and the densification of housing along the rail corridor.
These are foundational improvements that can directly impact quality of life and economic growth.
Yet, while the committee offers potential, it alone cannot solve the region’s complex challenges.
Our councillors must work together to present a united front to the State Government and help support David Harris, Minister for the Central Coast, in securing sustained investments in our infrastructure.
This Council meeting demonstrated an encouraging first step toward collaborative leadership.
Our councillors have shown they can set aside political differences for the community’s benefit, but they must remain committed to this approach.
The Central Coast deserves a Council that prioritises unity and progress over partisan divides; anything less is a disservice to the trust our community has placed in its newly elected officials.
David Abrahams – Managing Editor
Sounds united no politics together might stop a lot of flooding in prone areas a big concern in my neighbourhood I wish