April Update - TeamGRRRP

WRAP UP: March 2022 Council Meeting

Thank you to everyone who sent such positive feedback to us after receiving our March update.

It is great to know that residents are keen to be kept up to date and informed on council issues that affect them. Here’s a quick update from the 28 March council meeting and the month of March.

UPDATE: KOGARAH WAR MEMORIAL POOL AT CARSS PARK

Olympic Gold Medallist Michelle Ford joined Georges River Residents & Ratepayers Councillors at an update meeting with Save Carss Park Pool supporters on 18 March.

GRRRP welcomed the commitment made by NSW Labor Leader and Member for Kogarah, Chris Minns to rebuild Kogarah War Memorial Pool, announced at this meeting.

Member for Cook, Federal Liberal Leader and Prime Minister, Scott Morrison has already committed $5 million to rebuilding the Kogarah War Memorial Pool at Carss Park.

The meeting was attended by Georges River Council Mayor Nick Katris, Deputy Mayor Councillor Kathryn Landsberry, and GRRRP Councillors Natalie Mort, Elise Borg, Peter Mahoney and Christina Jamieson.

The GRRRP Councillors look forward to working in bipartisanship with all levels of government to secure funding to rebuild Kogarah War Memorial Pool at its current location at Carss Park.

UPDATE: MORTDALE MASTER PLAN

GRRRP supports the calls for residents to write more submissions to ensure their voice and views are heard in relation to the current Mortdale Master Plan.

Council is still accepting submissions on the current Master Plan and residents should ensure their concerns aren’t ignored and are taken into account by writing to Council now.

HOUSING FORECASTS TO BE UPDATED AFTER COVID

At the 28 March council meeting our GRRRP Councillors supported a motion from Deputy Mayor Councillor Kathryn Landsberry for a review of housing and job targets by calling for a report on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on population, housing and economic growth in NSW and the Georges River Local Government Area. The motion was passed unanimously and $70,000 will be considered for inclusion in the upcoming 2022/2023 budget for this report.

Population modelling and forecasts are used by Council to develop policies and plans to cater to future population growth. It is often what drives the continued development of our suburbs. Read the Leader article.

‘ACTIVATING OUR CENTRES’ POLICY DEFERRED UNTIL NEW POPULATION DATA AVAILABLE

GRRRP Councillor Elise Borg moved to defer the Draft Activating our Centres policy until such time as a report on new population data is provided to Council. The policy proposed to give developers bonus underground commercial floor space for purposes such as a community facility, shop, specialised retail premises, registered club, entertainment facility or recreational facility. It was proposed to apply in Hurstville City Centre, Kogarah Town Centre, Beverly Hills, Kingsgrove, Mortdale, Oatley West, Penshurst, Ramsgate, Riverwood and South Hurstville.

The vote to defer the policy was 7-7 with Deputy Mayor Landsberry who was in the Chair for consideration of this item, exercising the casting vote to vote for the motion to defer which was then carried.

UPDATE: PEAKHURST PARK PARKING

At the 28 March meeting Council unanimously resolved to consider prioritising funding in the 2022/23 budget capital works program to improve traffic and parking management in the Peakhurst Park precinct.

GRRRP supports urgent action to fund these works to resolve the safety issues at the park as highlighted by Peakhurst Park Football Club detailed in this Leader article.

PROTECTING OUR HERITAGE: OLD KOGARAH INN

In February, Council resolved to compulsory acquire 247 Princes Highway, Carlton, the site of the Old Kogarah Inn which was built by the English family in the 1880s as a staging post and hotel and is a special part of Kogarah's history.

At the 28 March meeting GRRRP Councillor Elise Borg moved that following acquisition of the land Council resolves to preserve the building for its heritage significance and continue to make the building available for appropriate community use into the future, and that Council consider prioritising $50,000 funding during the preparation of the draft 2022/23 Budget for the preparation of a heritage assessment report for the site. The motion was carried.

UPDATE: GLENLEE AT LUGARNO

Protecting Glenlee at Lugarno

GRRRP Peakhurst Ward Councillor Peter Mahoney continues to hold Council to account with regards to Glenlee, asking a Question with Notice at the 28 March meeting that Council ‘consider the urgent expedition of the report commissioned as a result of Council's resolution dated 25 October 2021 to investigate, analyse and model the purchase of Glenlee through development contributions and other external and internal funding sources’.

Council officers advise that the report will be submitted to Council in the second half of 2022 following the completion of the Georges River Open Space Expansion and Acquisition Plan.

KOGARAH HISTORICAL SOCIETY: LOCAL HISTORY AWARDS

Blakehurst Ward Councillor Natalie Mort joined Kogarah Historical Society and Mayor Nick Katris for the announcement of the winners of their 2021 Local History Awards on 10 March.

Natalie reported that it was great to hear from the winner Leonie Bell who spoke about her essay Oatley Park - Volunteers and Local Government in Partnership where she explained the history of how the swim baths at Oatley Park evolved through the advocacy of the community, who built and constructed the block walls and netting enclosures with their own fundraising and a financial contribution from the former Hurstville Council.

Kogarah Historical Society is a fantastic organisation that helps document and promote our local history. Read about the awards.

BETTER TOGETHER - ANTI-RACISM CAMPAIGN

On 21 March our four Georges River Residents & Ratepayers Councillors attended the launch of Georges River Council’s Anti-Racism campaign Better Together at the Clive James Library, Kogarah.

The theme of the event was Our strength is in our diversity. Our fellow Councillor, Independent Ben Wang featured in a Living Libraries exhibition on display in the library, which aims to challenge stigmas and stereotypes by offering insights into other people’s experiences.

We each signed a pledge on what we will do to stamp out racism in society so that we can all be Better Together.

BREAKING THE BIAS - CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY

GRRRP Councillors Christina Jamieson, Natalie Mort and Elise Borg attended an inspiring breakfast celebrating women in business in Georges River on 8 March at the International Women’s Day breakfast hosted by Georges River Council.

It was fantastic to hear the panel of Georges River businesswomen who each took the leap and started their own entrepreneurial path by starting their own businesses, finding their work / life balance along the way.

COUNCILLOR PETER MAHONEY VOLUNTEERING

400 New Trees for Carss Park

GRRRP Councillor Peter Mahoney volunteered along with Greater Sydney Landcare Network and Georges River Council in planting 400 plants at Carss Park as part of the Creating Canopies Project. The trees and shrubs will provide local habitat for smaller birds and pollinators.

Clean Up Australia Day

On 6 March Councillor Mahoney, along with his friends from Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society and Kyle Bay Sea Scouts, braved the unpredictable weather to clean up the Kyle Williams Reserve foreshore. Well done to all on collecting 20 bags of rubbish for pick-up by Georges River Council.

UPCOMING COUNCIL MEETINGS

Monday 4 April - Extraordinary Council Meeting - 6.00pm

Monday 11 April - Committee Meetings (second Monday of the month)

Tuesday 26 April - Council Meeting (Anzac Day on Monday)

Have you seen a council meeting agenda and want to be heard on a matter that’s important to you? Did you know you can register to speak at all Council meetings? If you wish to speak, you’ll need to register by midday on the day of the meeting. You can choose to speak in person at Council or address Council via phone connection.

Your community councillors for a better Georges River Council. 🏡🌳 #TeamGRRRP. Sign up for updates