Council meeting update - 26 April, 2022

Tuesday 26 April, 2022

Here is an overview of outcomes from tonight’s Ordinary Meeting:

 As part of ongoing efforts to secure Tamworth’s water supply, Councillors have agreed to allocate $1,735,000 from the Wastewater Reserve to fund the early phase works for a water purification facility. The proposed facility would recycle saline effluent (resulting from local food processing or protein sector industries) to produce high-purity water for industrial use. A report tabled at tonight’s meeting outlined the proposal for Council to construct and operate the facility in Tamworth. It explained how the proposed facility would allow for future growth of the local protein industry sector – abattoirs which process lamb, beef or poultry – without reducing the amount of drinking water available for household use. Tamworth Region Mayor Russell Webb said the innovative purified water project is a direct response to feedback from the local community asking Council to make increased water security its top priority. Funding discussions with the Australian and NSW Governments are ongoing.

 Councillors received and acknowledged a report advising Council of amendments to the Tamworth Regional Local Environmental Plan 2010. These changes have been proposed by the NSW Department of Planning and Environment in accordance with its Employment Zones Reform which will, on completion, replace all existing business and industrial zones with new planning zones. The stated aim of this reform is to increase land use flexibility and expand the number of permitted uses within zones that principally contribute to employment across NSW, with a statewide public exhibition of any proposed amendments scheduled for May, 2022. To ensure that community members in the Tamworth region are fully informed of any upcoming changes, Council will undertake targeted consultation with impacted property owners.

 A request from the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association and the North West School Sports Association to waive $10,000 in fees to hire local facilities was supported by Councillors. The two organisations are combining to host a multi-sport state championship from 30 May 2022 to 3 June 2022 at Tamworth Sports Dome and Tamworth Regional Hockey Centre. Championships will be played for both boys and girls – the first time four championships have been staged in the same town at the same time. The combined event is expected to attract a total of 600 students, 1,200 parents/carers, 60 team managers and 50 officials from all over NSW calculated to provide more than $2 million in economic benefit to the local economy.

For more information, see the full reports at www.tamworth.nsw.gov.au/business-papers

Watch the video report at www.facebook.com/TamworthRegionalCouncil