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Consultation has concluded

Welcome to Tweed Shire Council's online hub for community engagement.

This is your one-stop source of information about all of Council's engagement campaigns, including access to online forums, surveys, quick polls and videos.

Whenever Council is seeking community input on a Council-related issue, it will be featured here on Your Say Tweed. Our aim is to consolidate all Council's community engagement activities in one place so you can keep up to date with what's happening locally and have your say on the things that matter to you.

We invite you to drop by regularly to see and participate in the latest issues.

Contributing your ideas is quick and easy

Registration is optional but as a registered member of Your Say Tweed you will receive the full experience of Council’s online engagement site, including the ability to participate in all the online surveys and forums.

Of course, if you'd prefer, you can continue to engage with Council via the traditional methods. Information about Council's engagement campaigns is also available at Council's Customer Service centres at Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah or you can contact Council on (02) 6670 2400.

Welcome to Tweed Shire Council's online hub for community engagement.

This is your one-stop source of information about all of Council's engagement campaigns, including access to online forums, surveys, quick polls and videos.

Whenever Council is seeking community input on a Council-related issue, it will be featured here on Your Say Tweed. Our aim is to consolidate all Council's community engagement activities in one place so you can keep up to date with what's happening locally and have your say on the things that matter to you.

We invite you to drop by regularly to see and participate in the latest issues.

Contributing your ideas is quick and easy

Registration is optional but as a registered member of Your Say Tweed you will receive the full experience of Council’s online engagement site, including the ability to participate in all the online surveys and forums.

Of course, if you'd prefer, you can continue to engage with Council via the traditional methods. Information about Council's engagement campaigns is also available at Council's Customer Service centres at Tweed Heads and Murwillumbah or you can contact Council on (02) 6670 2400.

Consultation has concluded
  • Kingscliff Locality Plan reference panel appointed

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    Following a call for expressions of interest, a single reference panel has been appointed to provide a combination of community-based and technical input and feedback throughout the development of a Kingscliff Locality Plan.  

    A total of 14 people have been appointed to the combined Kingscliff Locality Plan reference panel, which will be chaired by Council's Senior Urban Designer, John Lynch.  

    Reference panel positions were filled according to the criteria advertised and listed in the Technical Review and Community Based Reference Panel charter documents.

    Two inception meetings were held on 15 and 22 July at the Kingscliff Sustainability Centre at which Council officers outlined the objective, scope and methodology of the locality planning process.

    During these meetings, reference panel members shared their backgrounds, experiences, expectations and ideas about the future opportunities and challenges facing the Kingscliff locality.

    Some of the key issues raised at these meetings included:
    • The importance of protecting and managing the natural environment including creeks, beaches and surrounding bushland areas;

    • The opportunity to enhance the Kingscliff community character and identity through appropriate land uses, design controls and rectifying the 'urban ugliness', particularly throughout the town centre;

    • The need to acknowledge the historic and cultural context and elements of the natural and built environment as an important part of future planning;

    • The opportunity to investigate alternate housing types, including those that incorporate access and universal design principles within the existing urban areas;

    • The need to address ongoing traffic and car parking issues, which are set to intensify with surrounding residential development release areas; and

    • The need to improve access to key amenity areas including public domain, beach and creek.

    A copy of the reference panel inception meeting presentation is provided here on Your Say Tweed for community reference.

    The reference panel is next scheduled to meet in early September, when it will review and provide feedback on key context and site analysis documents. 

    To stay up to date with the latest news, visit the Kingscliff Locality Plan page here on Your Say Tweed. 

    You need to be signed in to add your comment.

  • Rural Villages Strategy: community workshops and discussion paper

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    As part of the 'Discovery and Dreaming' phase of Council's Rural Villages Strategy, community members are invited to participate in a series of workshops to identify future planning priorities for key rural villages in the Tweed.

    Following an initial round of information sessions in late 2013, Council officers have drafted a discussion paper, which summarises key themes and ideas raised by the community.

    This current round of workshops will provide the village communities with an opportunity to review the discussion paper and identify their priorities for future planning, before a draft Rural Villages Strategy is prepared in the coming months.

    Workshop details are as follows:

    Tuesday 1 July, Chillingham Hall, 5.30 - 7pm

    Thursday 3 July, Stokers-Dunbible Memorial Hall, 5.30 - 7pm

    Tuesday 8 July, Tyalgum Hall, 5.30 - 7pm

    Wednesday 16 July, Uki School, 5.30 - 7pm

    Thursday 17 July, Crabbes Creek Hall, 5.30 - 7pm

    Monday 21 July, Burringbar Hall (for Burringbar and Mooball communities) 5.30 - 7pm

    Thursday 24 July, Tumbulgum Hall, 5.30 - 7pm

    In addition to the workshops, formal submissions on the discussion paper  are invited until close of business on Friday 8 August 2014.  Submissions should be addressed to: 

    Rural Villages Strategy
    The General Manager,
    Tweed Shire Council
    PO Box 816
    MURWILLUMBAH NSW  2484 

    or emailed to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au.

    To stay up to date with the latest project developments, visit the Rural Villages Strategy page here on Your Say Tweed and register to have your say.


    For further information, contact Council's Planning Reforms Unit on 02 6670 2503.

    You need to be signed in to add your comment.

  • Community keen to have their say on Gasfield Free signs

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    Tweed Shire Councillors were met with enthusiasm from the community around a recent proposal to install Gasfield Free signs around the shire.

    Members of the local community and Councillors came together during a Councillor Catchup  in Murwillumbah on Sunday to discuss unconventional gas operations in the Tweed and the proposed signs.

    There was a high level of interest in the survey, which was an outcome of the April 2014 Council meeting.

    For those who missed the Councillor Catch-up, Council officers will be at World Environment Day at Knox Park, Murwillumbah on Sunday 1 June 2014 from 10am - 3pm.  Further information on the signs will be available, as will the survey.

    The online poll is also now available to the public at www.yoursaytweed.com.au/gas. Participation in the survey is anonymous, but is only open to residents of the Tweed.


     

  • Have your say on the Kingscliff Locality Plan: join a reference panel

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    Community-based representatives and technical experts are wanted to help inform the development of a Kingscliff Locality Plan.

    As the Kingscliff area continues to experience significant growth, the locality plan is being prepared to provide a strategic framework to balance development and employment opportunities with environmental protection and community expectations.

    Council's Urban Designer, John Lynch, said the reference panels were being established to facilitate effective liaison between Council's project team and the Kingscliff community from an early stage in the project.

    He said the intent behind having two panels was to identify a broader range of issues and opportunities and provide an appropriate forum for in-depth discussion on both technical and community-based aspects, resulting in a more robust plan that was truly representative of the various stakeholders' perspectives.

    "The community-based panel is critical to the success of this project, representing the local people who live, work and play in the Kingscliff area every day," Mr Lynch said.

    "Their input will ensure the plan responds to the needs, expectations and aspirations of various groups within the community, while strengthening the existing character and identity of the local area. Given that the plan will be a blueprint for future growth and development, it is imperative the community has representation and participation within the plan making process.

    "For the technical review panel, we're looking for people with the relevant skills and experience to provide specialist guidance, advice and input to the technical planning and design aspects of the project, including participation in an enquiry by design process."

    Throughout the project, the feedback and outputs from each of the reference panels will be shared across both groups and made public via Council's online community engagement hub, Your Say Tweed.

    Interested persons should prepare a concise response the selection criteria outlined in the relevant reference panel charter, available from the Council website and Your Say Tweed.  
    Alternatively, a hard copy may be obtained by contacting Council's Planning Reforms Unit on (02) 6670 2520.

    Expressions of interest must be received by close of business on Tuesday 10 June 2014 and can be delivered to Council's offices at Tweed Heads or Murwillumbah or posted to:

    Kingscliff Locality Plan
    General Manager
    Tweed Shire Council
    PO Box 816
    MURWILLUMBAH NSW 2484 
      
    Further information about the Kingscliff Locality Plan can be found here at Your Say Tweed or by contacting Council's Planning Reforms Unit on (02) 6670 2520.
  • Rural Land Strategy information sessions commence this week

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    A second round of community information sessions to help create Council's Tweed Rural Land Strategy will be conducted during the next three weeks, to present findings from the initial stage of engagement in 2013.

    Stage 2 Issues Analysis Information Sessions will be held at eight locations throughout Tweed Shire during April and May.

    • Tuesday 29 April, Chillingham Hall, 3pm – 5pm
    • Wednesday 30 April, Tyalgum Hall, 3pm – 5pm
    • Monday 5 May, Burringbar School of Arts (Burringbar Hall), 10am – 12pm
    • Monday 5 May, Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre, 5pm – 7pm
    • Tuesday 6 May, Piggabeen Hall, 3pm - 5pm,
    • Wednesday 7 May, Uki Public Hall, 10am – 12pm
    • Thursday 8 May, Murwillumbah Civic and Cultural Centre Auditorium, 6pm – 7.30pm

    More than 150 Tweed residents took the opportunity to attend the first round of issues forums in 2013, with nearly 200 submissions and survey responses received.

    Feedback received has been used by EnPlan Partners to prepare the Draft Resource Inventory and Land Capability Assessment, and Draft Issues Analysis, which are now on public exhibition.

    "Community members are invited to attend one of the upcoming information sessions to view these documents, hear about some of the key findings, and discuss issues with Council officers," the Project Manager, Stuart Russell, said.

    Further information, including the Draft Issues Analysis and Draft Resource Inventory and Land Capability Assessment, is available on the Rural Land Strategy page, here on Your Say Tweed.

    Enquiries can be forwarded to Council’s Planning Reform Unit on (02) 6670 2503.

  • Tyalgum tip to close in June 2014

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    Council has resolved to close the Tyalgum Waste Transfer Station at the end of the 2013/2014 financial year and establish a scenic lookout on the site.

    The resolution follows several months of engagement with the local community after it was identified that low usage of the facility was contributing to its $61,000 annual operating deficit.

    Council's Coordinator of Waste Management, Rod Dawson, said funds currently committed to the transfer station over the next four years would be used for the establishment and maintenance of the new scenic lookout.

    "The balance will be put toward a list of community infrastructure projects, which should commence in the 2014/2015 financial year," he said.

    "Council will liaise with the community to consider which of these projects should be given priority."
    Council is now developing options for the design of a scenic lookout on the site and will seek feedback from the community in due course.

    Opportunities to be involved in this process will be promoted in the Tweed Link and via the Council website, www.tweed.nsw.gov.au.

    For more information about the community engagement relating to this project, visit the Tyalgum Waste Transfer Station page, here on Your Say Tweed. 

  • Talk the talk to help walk the walk

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    Tweed Shire Council is seeking community input to its Pedestrian Access and Mobility Plan (PAMP), launching a survey to ascertain the community’s concerns and needs around pedestrian networks in the local government area.

    The PAMP will provide a framework for developing pedestrian routes and infrastructure to enhance safety, convenience and mobility for all pedestrians, including older persons, people with mobility or vision impairments, school children, tourists, cyclists and recreational pedestrians.

    For more information and to have your say, please visit the PAMP page here on Your Say Tweed. 

  • Switch on: smart energy ideas for your place

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    Richard Swinton was a popular speaker at the 2013 Living for the Future Home Expo and Community Summit, who recently presented again to Tweed locals at the Tweed Heads library.  

    To view a video of highlights from Richard's February 2014 presentation about how to improve efficiency and save on energy and water costs in your home, visit the Living for the Future Home Expo and Sustainability Summit page

  • Council continues engagement on water management

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    Three community information sessions will be staged throughout the Tweed to continue Council's engagement with the public for a review of the Integrated Water Cycle Management (IWCM) Strategy.

    "All members of the community are invited to attend the sessions in Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah and Pottsville to learn more about the strategy," Council's Director of Community and Natural Resources, David Oxenham, said.  The sessions will be held on:

    Monday 17 February 2014   2pm - 3.30pm at the South Sea Islander Room, 17 Brett Street, Tweed Heads

    Monday 17 February 2014   5.30pm - 7pm at the Canvas and Kettle Room, Tumbulgum Road, Murwillumbah

    Wednesday 19 February 2014   5.30pm - 7pm at the Pottsville Neighbourhood Centre, 12a Elizabeth Street, Pottsville

    "The IWCM Strategy is the holistic long-term management approach used by Council to manage the entire water cycle and the Tweed catchment. It aims to ensure safe and reliable water supplies without compromising the ecological function of the water catchment," he said.

    "Community consultation has been central to the review of the IWCM and has helped to provide insight into IWCM issues and community priorities for water cycle management in the Tweed.

    "Next week's information sessions will provide yet another opportunity for the community to get involved and stay informed about water cycle management in the Tweed.

    Community consultation began in 2012 and has involved 600 random telephone surveys and over 400 paper-based community surveys, interviews with Council staff, workshops with Councillors, ongoing liaison with state government stakeholders and three formal public exhibition phases.  Internal and external stakeholders were also kept informed through website content, fact sheets, newspaper articles and advertisements.

  • Council initiates Pilot Environmental Audit Program

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    Waste management and other environmental practices by Tweed businesses will be examined by a pilot program being launched by Council next month.

    The pilot program of environmental audits will be conducted by Council officers from February to March, to look at waste management practices by businesses - including reuse, disposal and recycling - and will help Council determine whether businesses issued with development consent were complying with conditions relating to environmental matters, waste disposal and licences.

    "The pilot will enable Council to work with the business community to adopt a more proactive role in the protecting the environment from pollution before it occurs and educate various industries to prevent pollution event," Council's Coordinator for Environmental Health, Brad Pearce, said.

    "Tweed Shire is home to a number of industries that have potential to harm the environment if their workplace operations are not managed appropriately. The pilot will gauge the value and consequences of incorporating environmental audits in Council's regulatory activities.

    "Businesses taking part in the pilot will not be required to contribute to the cost of the audit. One of the aims of the pilot is to find out what resources will be required for ongoing audits, and it identify what fees would be appropriate to balance cost recovery with industry expectations."

    Mr Pearce said Council was also seeking community feedback on the proposed environmental audits and was inviting public submissions from Tuesday 4 February until close of business on Friday 21 March 2014.

    The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has stated local governments needed to proactively engage in environmental auditing, to benefit the environment and their communities.

    Twenty businesses will be randomly selected for the Tweed Shire pilot, from a diverse range of industries, so Council can assess their practices against standards put in place by the EPA.

    "Those 20 businesses will be notified in writing and will be visited by a Council inspector before they are audited."

    Further information is available by visiting Council's Tweed Heads or Murwillumbah offices or by contacting Brad Pearce or Alain Legrand on (02) 6670 2400 or by email to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au

    Community submissions can be sent to: Pilot Environmental Auditing Program, c/o General Manager, Tweed Shire Council, PO Box 816, Murwillumbah 2484, or emailed to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au.