Community grants on offer

THE council is seeking applications for this year's community grants program. Not-for-profit sporting, cultural and community groups within the Derwent Valley Municipal area are eligible to apply for assistance under this program.

The council will give preference to groups which have broad community benefit, seeking amounts in the range of $200 to $500.

The closing date for applications is September 26, 2013. Application packages can be collected from the Derwent Valley Council offices, Circle St, New Norfolk, or downloaded.

Councillor updates

HERE are my most recent councillor advertisements, including the one published in last week's Derwent Valley Gazette and the one from April which I negected to upload at the time.

August update - click image to enlarge

April update - click image to enlarge

Winter newsletter

THE latest issue of the Derwent Valley Council newsletter (Winter 2013) is available for downloading from the council website here.

Councillor questions

AN update on the questions I have asked at the last few council meetings. My apologies for taking so long to post these here.

March council meeting at Maydena
Could the mayor please advise who is the owner of the tunnel in Burnett Street?

The mayor advised that he would take this on notice.

 

Could the mayor advise why there is a boat moored in the Derwent River near Granton?

The mayor advised that he would pursue this matter and advise Councillors.

 

Could the mayor contact DIER to find out why large patches of the Lyell Highway are being repaired and what is the reason for the failures?

The mayor advised that he would take this matter up with the council's engineer and also DIER.

 

April council meeting at New Norfolk

What is the status of Mr Sadri's application to develop a major shopping centre at New Norfolk?

The mayor advised that this matter is currently the subject of an appeal at the tribunal, and he understand that they may be withdrawing their current application.

 

Can the general manager expand on what Mr Sadri had to say about instructing his solicitor to withdraw his development application?

The mayor advised that he understood the Sadri’s solicitor had written to the tribunal advising of their withdrawal but we do not have a copy of this letter at this stage. 

 

Can council staff review the No Standing zone outside the Bushy Park Pool with a view to extending the zone to cover the whole frontage of the pool property?

The mayor advised that he would ask the council's engineer to investigate this matter.

 

Are there any answers to my questions about the Willow Court Tunnel from last month's council meeting?

The mayor advised that he was of the view that as the tunnel is on private land Council would have minimal controls on its usage, but if it was utilised to access the tunnel in Crown or Council Land the situation may be different. 

 

What advice has been received from the anti-discrimination commissioners following their viewing of the paranormal documentary?

The mayor advised that he would ask the General Manager to forward a copy of the correspondence to all councillors. 

 

Did the council's decision to make the zoning of the Willow Court oval more "flexible" have any impact on the ability to consider Mr Rockefeller's proposal as a permitted use?

The general manager advised that the simple answer was yes. Also changes to the zoning and also to the Conservation Management plan were done to achieve more flexibility in regard to being able to consider a commercial development on site. 

 

May council meeting at New Norfolk

Mr Acting Mayor, will you convene a meeting between relevant council staff and the former operators of the New Norfolk Pool to resolve the current issues of concern to both parties?

The acting mayor advised that a meeting can be arranged. 

 

Mr Acting Mayor - What are the latest developments in the transfer of the Maydena school site to the council?

The general manager answered that he was awaiting receipt of the contract.

 

Mr Acting Mayor - What was this council's financial contribution to the Greater Hobart Trails website that was launched last week?

The general manager advised that this would be taken on notice.

Mr Acting Mayor - When it is next due for replacement can the street sign for Andrews Street be corrected to spell Andrews rather than Andrew?

The general manager answered yes.

 

Mr Acting Mayor - Can this council seek a contribution from the Tasmanian Bushfire Recovery Fund to assist with necessary works at the Molesworth Community Hall and Recreation Ground identified during its recent use as a bushfire evacuation centre and helicopter refuelling station?

The general manager answered yes. 

 

June council meeting at Lachlan

Mr Mayor, has the requested meeting been held between Mr Ian Lacey and relevant council staff to discuss their issues of concern?

The general manager answered that the meeting had not yet been held.

 

Mr Mayor, can the public be consulted on the nominating of suitable projects for the funding announced today by the Federal Members for Lyons?

The mayor answered that this could be done should time permit.

 

Willow Court update

DERWENT VALLEY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

WILLOW COURT BARRACKS PRECINCT RENEWAL WORKS

July 2013

“Restoration work on Willow Court will be moving to a higher and more exciting level over the next few months”Chairman of the Derwent Valley Councils Willow Court Conservation Special Committee David Llewellyn said today. “The work on repairing the windows at Bronte has brought the building to life again, but there is much more to do.”

The Committee at its July meeting concluded an “Expressions of interest process”for work on the Barracks, Bronte and landscaping surroundings of the heritage precinct. The successful proponent was Xsquared Architects, incorporating Inspiring Place and the Centre for Heritage at Oatlands. Xsquared was selected after a rigorous assessment from a very competitive field of contenders and will lead a group of experienced specialists in oversighting the next restoration stage of works.

“Our focus now is to finalise works approvals with the various regulatory bodies and to invite comments from the New Norfolk community.” David Llewellyn said. “We want public input into the plans and we also want the public and local community to get involved in the current works.

David Llewellyn again emphasised that local contractors have already been used on current works and local contractors will be actively pursued for the new works once approvals secured.

Restoration works on the Barracks will start very soon, including repairs to exterior and interior elements of the building, and opening up other rooms.

Willow Court is a nationally recognised heritage precinct, of great importance to the region and nation. The most historic of the many buildings that make up the site is The Barracks, built around 1830. The Barracks was built as Tasmania’s first hospital for invalid convicts but soon was exclusively used as a ‘lunatic asylum’.

“The project is an excellent example of collaboration between local, State and Federal governments, and I am keen to build on that collaborative effort in order to see full use of the buildings at Willow Court”,David Llewellyn reiterated.

Tunnel talk

YESTERDAY I was asked for an update on the exploration of the "tunnel" beneath New Norfolk and although there does not seem to have been much progress on that front I was able to advise that the mayor had told a recent council workshop that he believes there are two tunnels running roughly parallel to each other under Burnett St.

The theory is that one is the disused sewer and the other is the historical tunnel reputedly used by convicts, patients or soldiers to travel underground between Willow Court and the river. I do not know what evidence exists to support this view and look forward to further investigations being carried out.

Whatever we find will add to the story of Willow Court and its significance as a historic site of national importance. Needless to say, I have a hardhat and headlamp ready to go!

Fair go Leo

COLUMNIST Leo Schofield's latest missive on the topic of Willow Court indicates that he is considerably out of touch with progress on that site. While Mr Schofield's earliest remarks about Willow Court quite rightly focused on the council's neglect of the historic site, he last year took aim at the people of New Norfolk and that is when the lost the support of many who had appreciated the light he was shining on the urgent need for action on Willow Court.

His attack on New Norfolk and its people continued in yesterday's issue of the Mercury newspaper's Saturday Magazine. This latest contribution highlights the need for Mr Schofield to better acquaint himself with the progress being made at Willow Court as he appears to be writing from an outdated and ill-informed perspective. Much of what he called for in Saturday's column has already been done.

The council took far too long to take effective action on the preservation and development of Willow Court and it was this decade of neglect that prompted me to seek election in 2009. Progress was not as rapid as I would have hoped in my first year or two on council, but great strides have been made in the last 18 months - and this year in particular.

It's my understanding that Mr Schofield has been invited to visit Willow Court on more than one occasion since he first wrote on the topic in 2008, but has not responded. I encourage the mayor to extend that offer again. Should Mr Schofield accept the offer, he will discover:

• The Willow Court Conservation Special Committee making progress on the implementation of the MacDonald Report
• Electricity supply installed and street lights operating
• The start on the restoration of the Bronte building
• The Frescati Community Garden
• The multi-million dollar conversion of the "oval buildings" into apartments
• Continued progress in the privately-owned sector of the site

Mr Schofield is entitled to continue to express his opinion but his readers will be better served by a factual account that does not unfairly and unnecessarily malign all residents of New Norfolk. His opinion should not be construed to be that of the newspaper itself. I am employed by the Mercury and I believe its opinion of the town is more accurately reflected by its selection of the stunning photo, left, as part of its latest marketing campaign.

So fair go, Leo. Why not put your passion to good use and offer your services to the Willow Court Conservation Special Committee rather than take potshots from the sidelines?