Our Tweed Vision

Tweed residents will have greater access to their elected councillors when a new series of 'community catch-ups' is launched early next month.

The inaugural Councillors Community Catch-up will be held at the Tweed Heads community markets on Sunday 4 September, giving residents the chance to speak face-to-face with the elected members about any Council-related topic they want to raise.

"We're extending an open invitation to drop in at any time during the Catch-up, to have a cuppa and a chat to the elected councillors," General Manager Mike Rayner said.

"Council will hold these informal gatherings once every three months, rotating them between prominent community markets throughout the Tweed, to make it easy for everyone to participate.

"They will be an ideal opportunity to get to know your elected members, particularly for newcomers to the area."

The Catch-ups are a new initiative in the Community Engagement Strategy adopted by Council last September, in response to a community request for increased access to the councillors.

"They are key initiative to enhance the two-way flow of information between Council and the community," Mr Rayner said.

Each Catch-up will feature information about current Council projects and issues but will be open to residents to raise any Council matters they want to discuss.

Councillors will be at the first Catch-up from 9am to noon.

Subsequent Catch-ups are scheduled to be held from 9am to 1pm at:

Chillingham Markets – 13 November 2011

Pottsville Markets – 19 February 2012

Murwillumbah Community Markets – 27 May 2012

Kingscliff Lions Beachside Markets – 25 August 2012

Uki Markets – 18 November 2012

These dates are subject to change if markets alter their dates or to incorporate a current issue.

However, any change in date will be widely publicised.

For more information, including dates and venues for future Catch-ups, go to Council's website at www.tweed.nsw.gov.au or keep an eye on this website.

This online forum and surveys has concluded. You can still review the project and project comments.

Council's review of its Tweed Housing Code is inviting community members to provide feedback on what they would like homes and residential areas in the Tweed to look like in the future.

A total of seven discussion papers will be released by Council as part of the review and its community engagement campaign. Four of the discussion papers will be available to download when the www.yoursaytweed.com.au/tweedhousing page is launched on 5 September.

Community surveys and online forum discussions will be launched for each of these discussion papers will begin on this webpage the following Monday (12 September). Members of the community will be able to complete the surveys and participate in the discussions until Wednesday 5 October.

Council's review of its Tweed Housing Code is inviting community members to provide feedback on what they would like homes and residential areas in the Tweed to look like in the future.

A total of seven discussion papers will be released by Council as part of the review and its community engagement campaign. Four of the discussion papers will be available to download when the www.yoursaytweed.com.au/tweedhousing page is launched on 5 September.

Community surveys and online forum discussions will be launched for each of these discussion papers the following Monday (12 September). Members of the community will be able to complete the surveys and participate in the discussions until Wednesday 5 October.

The other three discussion papers will be released and available on the Tweed Housing webpage later this year.

"How much flexibility do people want to see in the controls which regulate housing design in this area?" Council's Director of Planning and Regulation, Vince Connell, said.

"Flexible regulations allow owners to create homes which meet their needs and aesthetic desires must be balance against the need for controls to protect the overall amenity of the Tweed. That includes controls on how much housing blocks can be modified by cut-and-fill and other methods to accommodate a home.

"Small variations in these controls could allow a significant change in the character of the Tweed."

Members of the building design and construction industry and the wider community are being asked to comment on a series of seven discussion papers produced by Council to review of Part A of its Tweed Development Control Plan (DCP) A1 for Residential and Tourist Development.

The discussion papers address issues of designing in context for climate and character, landscaping, small lot design, managing sloping sites, building envelopes and ancillary structures such as garages and swimming pools.

Each discussion paper invites members of the community to review the information and options and provide comment to inform amendments to the DCP.

"We would be engaging with people in the building design and construction industry to encourage their input," Mr Connell said.

"However, this is an issue that is close to home for everyone that lives or owns residential property in the Tweed. Not only does it have the potential to affect the homes they live in, it stands to have a dramatic effect on how the Tweed's residential areas look in years to come.

"We will provide a number of ways for members of the community to have their say, including the online forums and surveys on this site and a number of information stalls," he said.

"The community feedback will be used to create a DCP amendment, which will be formally exhibited during a second stage of engagement in early 2012, giving the community further opportunity for input."

Click here to view copies of the discussion papers. Printed copies are available to view at Council's Customer Service Centres in Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads, at the libraries in Kingscliff, Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads and on Council's corporate website at www.tweed.nsw.gov.au.

Approximately 350 people attended a series of community information stalls to discuss Council's Delivery Program 2011/2015 and Operational Plan 2011/2012, including a stand at last Thursday's Seniors Expo in Murwillumbah.

Many visitors to the expo spent time at Council's stand for the Delivery Program, which followed a series of community information stalls Council staged at markets and shopping centres during the past month.

Council followed up those sessions by conducting a meeting with business and resident group representatives last Friday to further discuss the Delivery Program.

A new high school in Pottsville, the provision of public toilets, noxious weed control and the location of a new Murwillumbah Community Centre were leading issues raised at the meeting.

Tweed residents and organisations now have a few days left to provide their feedback on the Delivery Program and Operational Plan, which outline the projects and activities Council will undertake to achieve the objectives in the Tweed Community Strategic Plan 2011/2021.

They have until Friday 27 May at 4pm to provide input by lodging a written submission or participating in the community online forum on this website.

A scenic landscape strategy for Terranora and an expansion of sporting facilities at Cudgen Leagues Club are two issues raised so far on the forum, which has separate threads for the Strategic Plan and Delivery Program’s four themes – Civic Leadership, Supporting Community Life, Strengthening the Economy and Caring for the Environment.

Written submissions can be emailed to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au or posted to General Manager, Tweed Shire Council, PO Box 816, Murwillumbah 2484.

A stall at today's Seniors Expo in Murwillumbah (19 May 2011) wrapped up a series of community information sessions for the Delivery Program and Operational Plan.

Many older Tweed residents and service providers were among a large number of people who learnt more about the Delivery Program 2011/2015 and Operational Plan 2011/2012 by visiting a Tweed Shire Council stall at the expo.

The stall followed a similar session at Tweed City shopping centre at South Tweed Heads, which was attended by approximately 40 people, as well as the Mayor and Deputy Mayor. Senior Council staff and elected Councillors staged a total of six stalls at shopping centres and community markets throughout the Tweed, in addition to the Seniors Expo display.

River health and improvements to the Tweed's road network were among key issues raised by visitors to the Tweed City stall, while a number of residents at the Seniors Expo stall called for additional public transport such as a rail link to South East Queensland.

Tweed organisations and individuals now have until 27 May 2011 to provide feedback on the draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan. They can lodge comments on the community online forum on this website, or forward written submissions by email to tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au or by post to the General Manager, Tweed Shire Council, PO Box 816, Murwillumbah 2484.

Around 100 people took the opportunity to talk to some of Council's most senior staff members and elected councillors during two information stalls at community markets last weekend.

The Tweed's Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Council's General Manager were on hand to discuss the Delivery Program and other issues in the shire, when Council continued its series of information stalls with sessions at the Kingscliff and Uki markets.

The Director of Planning and Regulation, Vince Connell, was also available at the Kingscliff stall to talk to residents about several development and planning issues in Kingscliff and surrounding areas.

General Manager Mike Rayner said the stalls had been a fantastic opportunity to explain the Delivery Program and broader Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework, as sunny conditions attracted good crowds to the Kingscliff Markets on Saturday and Uki Markets on Sunday.

"They have also been a wonderful chance to simply getting out into the community to discuss the Tweed's key issues," Mr Rayner said.

"These information stalls have been extremely successful in fostering the flow of information between Council and the community. We are looking to make them a regular part of Council's community engagement, to take issues out into the public and encourage to residents to provide their feedback."

Many residents made the most of their opportunity to talk to the Mayor, Councillor Kevin Skinner, Deputy Mayor Cr Barry Longland and the previous Tweed Mayor, Cr Warren Polglase, at the stalls.

The fifth and final information stall for the Delivery Program engagement campaign will be held at Tweed City shopping centre at South Tweed Heads on Wednesday, 18 May from 10am to 2pm.

A series of community information stalls for the Delivery Program continues this weekend, with Council representatives attending the markets at Kingscliff and Uki.

Senior Council representatives will be at the stall in Kingscliff Markets tomorrow (Saturday 14 May) and the Uki Markets on Sunday, both from 8am to noon.

Kingscliff's markets are situated north of the town's bowling club in Marine Parade, while the Buttery hosted Uki's markets.

Members of the community are invited to attend these stalls at any time during the four-hour period, to find out more about the draft Delivery Program and Operational Plan and to discussion the projects and other actions they contain.

These sessions follow a good response to the community information stall at Murwillumbah's Sunnyside Shopping Centre last Monday. Approximately 60 people attended the stall to talk to Council managers and the Mayor, Councillor Kevin Skinner, and ask questions about the Delivery Program, which will form part of Council's Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework.

The final information stall in the series will be conducted at Tweed City Shopping Centre in South Tweed on Wednesday, 18 May at 10am to 2pm.

Tweed Shire Council is evaluating the methods it used to inform and involve the community in our recent  Kingscliff Central Park online forum. 

As part of this evaluation, Council invites everyone who participated in the Kingscliff Central Park online forum to indicate how they found out about the forum by completing our quick poll. Its easy! Simply click on one option in the poll opposite to let us know how you found out about the Kingscliff Central Park online forum

By completing this quick poll you will help us identify the best ways to advise the community about key Council issues, encourage public feedback and engage with the community as effectively as possible.

Around 100 people took advantage of a community information stall at the Pottsville Markets to find out more about the draft Delivery Program 2011/2012 and Operational Plan 2011/2012 and to provide their input.

A steady stream of market goers dropped into Council's marquee during the markets last Sunday, to view the draft documents, ask questions or offer their opinions about key issues in the district.

The Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Kevin Skinner, was among the Council representatives who attended the stall and said he was overjoyed by the level of community interest.

A high school and shopping centre in Pottsville were among regular issues raised by visitors to the Council marquee.

Many visitors welcomed the Council initiative to take the discussion out into the community and the chance to speak directly to the Mayor and senior Council staff.

Council will stage four more community information stalls for the Delivery Program and Implementation Plan throughout May:

* Monday, May 9 - Sunnyside Shopping Centre, Murwillumbah - 10am-noon

* Saturday, May 14 - Kingscliff Markets - 8am-noon

* Sunday, May 15 - Uki Markets - 8am-noon

* Wednesday, May 18 - Tweed City, Tweed Heads South - 10am-noon

A series of community information stalls for Council's Delivery Program 2011/2015 and Operational Plan 2011/2012 begins this Sunday, 1 May, with a stall at the Pottsville Markets.

The information session, from 8am to noon, will give members of the public a chance to view the documents and talk to senior Council staff about projects and activities in the four-year program.

"People are invited to drop into Council's marquee any time during those four hours to discuss and offer their feedback on the actions contained in the Delivery Program and Operational Plan," the Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Kevin Skinner, said.

"The community provided wonderful feedback last year for the Community Strategic Plan, which is their vision for the Tweed for the next 10 years. Now it's time to look at the actions Council plans to implement to make that vision a reality."

The Delivery Program and Operational Plan outline the actions Council is committed to undertaking over the next four years to achieve the objectives in the Tweed Community Strategic Plan 2011/2021, which Council produced late last year after considerable consultation with the public.

Sunday's stall at the Pottsville will be followed by another four community information sessions throughout May:

* Sunnyside Shopping Centre, Murwillumbah                        Monday 9 May 2011 - 10am - 2pm.

* Kingscliff Markets                                                           Saturday 14 May 2011 - 8am - noon

* Uki Markets                                                                   Sunday 15 May 2011 - 8am - noon

* Tweed City                                                                    Wednesday 18 May 2011 - 10am - 2pm

Tweed Shire Council projects and activities to achieve the long-term visions of the community are mapped out in a series of plans which goes on public exhibition this Wednesday, 27 April 2011.

Council this week adopted draft versions of its Delivery Program 2011/2015 and Operational Plan 2011/2012, which outline the actions designed to achieve the objectives in the Tweed Community Strategic Plan 2011/2021.

Go to our online discussion to have your say on the draft Delivery Program 2011/2015 and Operational Plan 2011/2012.

"These documents are Council's statement of commitment to achieving the 10-year vision spelt out in the Community Strategic Plan," the Mayor of Tweed, Councillor Kevin Skinner, said.

"They clearly map out the projects and activities Council plans to undertake over the next four years, while working within Council's available resources and responsibilities.

"Council staged a comprehensive public engagement program for the Community Strategic Plan, which becomes Council's most high-level strategic document for the next decade.

"Now we are embarking on another engagement campaign to get community feedback on the projects and activities Council plans to undertake to deliver the Strategic Plan's objectives."

The draft Delivery Program, Operational Plan and two supporting documents – the Resourcing Strategy and Revenue Policy - will be on public exhibition from Wednesday 27 April to Friday 27 May.

Key projects in the Operational Plan include the Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre ($1.1 million), the Tweed River Regional Museum ($3.2 million), road construction ($7.4 million) and water supply augmentation ($4.1 million).

"Members of the community will have several ways to find out more about these documents and how they fit within Council's new Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework," Cr Skinner said.

"Council will stage a series of community information stalls throughout the Tweed in May, to explain the framework and enable residents to have their say.

"Council is also conducting an online forum at www.yoursaytweed.com.au/deliveryprogram to give people a convenient way to provide their input."

Printed copies of the four draft documents can also be viewed at Council's offices in Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads, as well as the Kingscliff, Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads libraries.