May 14, 2009

Export hub

Council is pleased to be hosting the Bega Export Hub which will provide a convenient one-stop shop for potential and existing exporters in the Bega Valley and surrounding Shires.

It is based in Council’s Zingel Place office and officers from the NSW Department of State and Regional Development and the Federal Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research will visit the area on a regular basis to provide advice and assistance.

We all know how difficult it is for small businesses to make contact or gain entry into an overseas market so this new Hub will provide local businesses with information, advice and support to help them become innovative and internationally competitive.

Infrastructure projects

There has been much celebration in the shire over recent weeks as the Member for Eden-Monaro, Mike Kelly has announced funds for various infrastructure projects in the Shire.

First there was the $1.043 million from the Regional Communities Local Infrastructure Program which, with the co-operation of community groups and volunteers, we have been able to stretch to cover 29 projects covering every town and village in the Shire.

These projects are underway and some of the smaller ones are already completed.

All are expected to be finalised by the end of September.

Sapphire Aquatic Centre

The announcement that the Federal Government has committed up to $2.2million towards the $3.8 million upgrade of the Pambula Swimming Pool to become the Sapphire Aquatic Centre was another cause for jubilation.

The community group pushing for the heating and upgrade of the pool has worked tirelessly over several years and its members are to be congratulated for their efforts and tenacity.

The aquatic centre is a major project that will benefit the entire Shire.

Funds for schools

Most recently, Dr Kelly announced funds totalling nearly $6 million for infrastructure works at local schools under Round One of the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program.

These funds will provide classrooms, a hall, a library and outdoor covered learning areas for various primary schools in the Shire with more allocations expected in future rounds of this program.

Culinary excellence

Congratulations to two young aspiring chefs in our shire, Rhys Lamb and Jehmiah Hogrefe.

Rhys, a first year apprentice at Morrisons on Lamont at Bermagui, and Jehmiah, a second year apprentice at the Merimbula Aquarium and Wharf Restaurant, recently won their regional heats in the Apprentice Chefs Culinary Competition at the Bega TAFE campus.

Their gold medals entitle them to compete in the grand final of the competition later this year.

Draft management plan

Council’s draft management plan for 2009-12, which includes the proposed budget and fees and charges, is on exhibition for public comment until May 29.

There has been a good deal of comment already on aspects of the document, particularly Councillors’ decision to apply for a special rate variation of a 5.26% increase above the 3.5% rate pegged cap on the general rate.

This decision was not made lightly and only after extensive consultation with sporting, business and tourism bodies and individuals who gave considerable support to requests for the increase to fund sporting and recreational facilities and access to community facilities, and for economic and tourism development.

Of the $350,000 for economic and tourism development, $200,000 will be levied across all rate categories. The remaining $150,000 will be raised only from ratepayers in the business rate category.

All funds raised by the special variation will be quarantined to be used only for the purposes for which they sought and separately accounted and reported to community.

Ratepayers are encouraged to make submissions on the draft management plan and these will be forwarded to the Department of Local Government as part of its assessment of Council’s application for the special variation.

Woolworths DA

The lodging of a development application for a major retail and commercial development in Bega was an important day for our local community.

Woolworths’ investment in the town will exceed $70m and provide enormous opportunities for Bega and the Valley.

More than 200 new jobs are anticipated from this development and the mix of Woolworths, Big W and speciality shops will reinforce Bega as an attractive place to shop and continue to make the Shire self-sufficient in its offer of retail, health and educations services.

In addition, we plan that the bulk of the proceeds from the sale of part of Zingel Place as well as Council’s share of the sale of the Crown Lands (the town hall supper rooms) will be reinvested as an upgrade for Littleton Gardens and the redevelopment of the Town Hall.

In these difficult economic times we must acknowledge the foresight and perseverance of Woolworths and its confidence in the Bega Valley as a go-ahead place and worthy of this scale of investment.

Yellow pinch pipeline

The Bega to Yellow Pinch Water Transfer Pipeline, being developed by the Bega Valley Shire Council in collaboration with the NSW Department of Commerce, is currently in the detailed design phase and construction is expected to begin in the latter half of 2009.

The pipeline will be located between the existing South Bega reservoir and the Yellow Pinch Dam.

It will be about 19.8 kilometres in length and the majority of the pipeline will follow the Princes Highway and be located within the road reserve although in some areas the pipeline will be routed through private property.

The main objective of the project is to improve water supply security of the existing Tantawanglo-Kiah water supply system to the urban areas of Candelo, Wolumla, Merimbula, Tura Beach, Pambula, Pambula Beach and Eden and therefore "drought proof" the southern part of the shire.