Council named State award finalist
Monday 6 May, 2024
Five Tamworth Regional Council projects and a staff member have been named as category finalists in the 2024 Local Government Professionals Australia NSW Excellence Awards.
Tamworth Regional Council General Manager, Paul Bennett, said it was great news for the local community to know the work of its council’s staff is ranked among the State’s best.
“We submitted nominations in six categories and we are finalists in each – that’s a fantastic acknowledgement from our Local Government peers,” he said. “Our people should be proud to know they are delivering excellence to our community.”
Fiesta La Peel Street Festival – 10 year anniversary is a finalist in the Community Partnerships – under 150,000 Award category. The annual celebration of culture, food and family fun has grown since its inception as the region’s multicultural community has grown. It is attended by thousands of community members each year.
The Paws for Life Animal Shelter and Boarding Kennels,- a finalist in the Special Project Initiative – Under 150,000 Award category, is leading the way in NSW with its innovative solution to Companion Animal management. Using a new model for Local Government, staff and specially-trained community volunteers at Paws for Life take in abandoned cats and dogs, giving them a safe space and care until they are rehomed.
During NAIDOC Week 2023 Council partnered with the local First Nations community, particularly the Tamworth Local Aboriginal Lands Council Walaaybaa Rangers, for a Cultural Burn of Locks Lane. A finalist in the First Nations Community Partnership Award category, the project had cultural, ecological/environmental and social benefits for both Council and the local First Nations community.
Saturday Sounds - a finalist in the Supporting Local Enterprise Award category - comprised weekly musical performances in the three months leading up to Christmas 2023. It provided work for local musicians and gave locals another reason to visit the CBD, helping to increase spend at local businesses.
Council’s Tamworth Global Gateway Park development, which reached a significant milestone in November 2023 with the opening of the Tamworth Intermodal Freight Facility – is a finalist in the Asset and Infrastructure – over $1.5 million category. The facility will encourage new industry opportunities, facilitate economic development and support the shift in moving freight from road to rail. The three levels of government have invested more than $32.3 million in funding the Park’s infrastructure projects.
Senior Project Engineer, Callum Fletcher, is a finalist in the Emerging Leader category. The Emerging Leader Award recognises professionals, aged 35 or under, who are working in NSW Local Government, made a notable contribution and demonstrated the potential for leadership and continuing service. Mr Fletcher joined Tamworth Regional Council in 2017 as a construction engineer and in his current role project manages the delivery of high value and high complexity civil and community infrastructure projects with a combined total value of about $50 million.
Councils state-wide nominated projects for the Awards in 15 categories and are judged on a range of set criteria. Winners and highly commended in each category will be announced at the Local Government Awards Dinner on June 6, 2024