Council meeting update - 27 February 2024

Tuesday 27 February 2024

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

• As the first step of the broader comprehensive review of the Tamworth Regional Local Environmental Plan 2010 (TRLEP 2010), Councillors have supported a recommendation for a planning proposal to be prepared and submitted next month to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure requesting a Gateway Determination. A 36-page report tabled at the meeting revealed Council’s review of the TRLEP 2010 is a direct action out of the Tamworth Regional Blueprint 100 strategy and will be undertaken in phases. The report said that as part of the first phase review of the TRLEP 2010, planning studies have been completed along with property owner engagement and an EOI process inviting property owners to identify potential changes to the TRLEP 2010. The first phase review will include:

• Heritage Items including the addition of King George V Avenue Memorial English Oaks and the Manilla railway underbridge at Upper Manilla over Borah Creek;
• Creation of new Heritage Conservation Areas including a new Darling Street Civic Precinct;
• Changes to the floor space ratio and subdivision provisions and applying design excellence controls for properties in the Bridge Street Precinct which aim to encourage urban renewal in the area;
• Review of land use permissibility within existing land use zones;
• Amendment to existing clauses and proposed new clauses;
• Adoption of eco-tourism and dwellings affected by natural disaster clauses;
• Expressions of Interest; and
• Housekeeping such as mapping anomalies.

It is anticipated the public exhibition will take place in June 2024, subject to the conditions of the Gateway Determination.

• To offer greater support and flexibility to customers with changing and difficult circumstances, Councillors adopted updates to a number of financial policies. The draft Pensioner Policy, Debt Recovery Policy and Hardship Policy were placed on public exhibition for a period of 28 days from 13 December. The updated policies will come into effect immediately.
• Safety and improved access for locals lead 14 recommendations made by the Tamworth Local Traffic Committee when they met in early February. Councillors considered and agreed with the committee’s recommendations including improvements to be made to improve traffic visibility and safety at Timbumburi School through new Give Way signs, painted median and associated line marking on both Kia Ora Lane approaches with the New England Highway, Timbumburi. To support access to local business, changes to parking on Darling Street in Tamworth were also approved. Two, 15-minute parking spaces will replace an all-day parking zone outside of Fords Butchery on Darling Street, to provide customer parking options on the busy corner.
• Another bronze statue could be coming to Tamworth, this time recognising musician Roger Knox and his contribution to both the Tamworth Country Music Festival. Councillors supported a move by the Tamworth Region Arts Advisory Committee and Tamworth Region Inclusive Culture Advisory Committee to recognise the Gomeroi song man through art. It is proposed the new statue would be installed in Peel Street alongside other greats of the industry including Slim Dusty and Joy McKean, Smokey Dawson and John Williamson and is dependent on external fundraising.