TasWater media release

Your say on proposed water supply for
Bushy Park/Glenora closes soon

Bushy Park and Glenora property owners are being urged to give serious consideration to the future of their water supply options as TasWater continues its community consultation into the extension of a reticulated water system to the area.

The proposal is to connect Bushy Park and Glenora to a pipeline from Lake Fenton which is being built to improve the supply to nearby Gretna, overcoming long standing problems with the quality of drinking water in the town.

TasWater CEO Michael Brewster says the new pipeline’s proximity provides the ideal opportunity to now offer Bushy Park and Glenora the chance to be connected to the TasWater reticulation network.

So far several community information sessions hosted by TasWater have gained a good level of support from locals who have attended but many more residents need to assess what water sources they plan to access in the future if a TasWater supply is not extended to the Bushy Park and Glenora community.

The Derwent Valley Council has committed $500,000 to the project but again, contingent on community support. Council has also advised that beyond 2016, it will no longer pay for maintenance of the pumps which Hop Producers Australia (HPA) manages on behalf of the community to supply water to households in Bushy Park and Glenora.

Likewise HPA no longer wishes to supply this water for domestic purposes as it is untreated and subject to runoff from agricultural catchments which greatly impacts water quality. TasWater is prepared to introduce a drinking water supply to Bushy Park and Glenora if there is around 80 per cent community support.

While committed to the project, its go ahead hinges on support from residents. Given the demands placed upon TasWater resources to improve water and sewerage services across the state, it may be many years before the opportunity is revisited if the community chooses not to back the proposal this time round.

Property owners are reminded that support for the new water system does not mean they must connect. TasWater acknowledges that as the connection cost of $2083.50 (current estimate) may mean that some property owners are reluctant to commit, it will consider a payment plan.

“A new water scheme will bring many benefits to Bushy Park and Glenora including safe, clean drinking water which meets Australian Drinking Water Guidelines. TasWater will be responsible for providing water and maintaining infrastructure as well as providing a reliable supply of water for firefighting with the installation of fire hydrants,” TasWater’s CEO, Michael Brewster said.

Mr Brewster said that it will offer security of water supply for now and future generations TasWater’s next step in gauging community support is a phone survey due to take place in September.

“The community of Bushy Park and Glenora must make an important decision on whether to accept a TasWater supplied drinking water service and I appeal to all property owners to carefully consider their decision during the survey period.”

Over the next three years TasWater is planning to spend around $330 million dollars in upgrading water and sewerage services across Tasmania. “Gretna is scheduled to benefit from our infrastructure spending along with Ouse and Hamilton which have just recently connected to a new water treatment plant. It would be great if Bushy Park and Glenora could join these other Derwent Valley communities in receiving a safe and reliable water supply.”

Information about this project is available by contacting Community Relations Officer Miriam Rule on 6237 8852.

Council notice

Childhood Immunisation Sessions

Temporary Change of Venue

For a four month period commencing 23 September 2015, Council’s free childhood immunisation sessions will be trialing a change of location from the Community Health Building, lower level, New Norfolk District Hospital to Ptnuarra (Derwent Valley Child and Family Centre) located at 52 Blair Street, New Norfolk.

These sessions will continue to be held on the fourth Wednesday of each month at 2.00pm – 2.30pm.

Following the trial period, a follow up advertisement will advise of a permanent venue for 2016. For further information contact the Immunisation Co-ordinator Laura Minton on 6261 8530.

Greg Winton

GENERAL MANAGER

The best for Bronte

YOU might have read in the Derwent Valley Gazette this week that the council has voted 6-1 in favour of a lease enabling the Derwent Valley Community House to relocate to Bronte House at Willow Court. Yes, mine was the lone vote against the document.

As discussed here before, I'm not opposed to the Community House moving into Bronte. It's a valid and sustainable use for the building and a way to complete its restoration. What I'm concerned about is finding a way to accommodate the Community House alongside the original proposal for visitor services in the same building. The latest proposals do not do that and I do not believe it is acceptable for a single room in Bronte House to serve as both the official entrance to Willow Court and the dining room of the Community House.

The original proposal for a retractable wall to divide the room in question proved unacceptable to the Community House and an alternative proposal was approved by most councillors in April*, under threat of losing government funding if the matter was not resolved by April 30. Four months later the matter was before council again last week, as the second proposal had not met the needs of the Community House.

The latest draft of the lease agreement, endorsed by the vote of 6-1 last Thursday night, provides the Community House with a nine-year lease for $1 per year, with no stipulation that a specific amount must be spent on essential renovations to the building in return for the peppercorn rent.

I remain confident that a suitable agreement can be reached but I don't think we are there yet.

* The record of voting for the April 2015 council meeting is incorrect. It states:
Cr Evans - Against
Cr Shaw - Against
Cr Belcher - Against
Cr Graham - For
Cr Lathey - For
Cr Triffett - For
Cr Bester - For

According to my notes the actual votes were:
Cr Evans - For
Cr Shaw - For
Cr Belcher - For
Cr Graham - Against
Cr Lathey - Against
Cr Triffett - For
Cr Bester - Against

Council budget 2015-16

DERWENT VALLEY COUNCIL

MEDIA RELEASE

Derwent Valley Council Strikes Rates for 2015-2016  Financial Year

Derwent Valley Council met on Thursday evening  and has approved a rate increase for the 2015/16 financial year at 4%.

“Discussions around rates this year were were particularly hard”, Mayor Martyn Evans said.

“Council has to balance the needs and aspirations of the community against the community’s ability to sustain a rate increase.  This combined with changes to funding through the Financial Assistance Grants and other changes have had an impact on Council’s finances.

Major items funded in the budget include:

• Improvements to the amenities at the New Norfolk and Bushy Park Pools;
• Community safety measures at Tynwald Park;
• Outdoor gym equipment will be installed at Gleeson Park;
• Works will be undertaken at the top end of Blair Street;
• Installation of a footpath on Lachlan Road, near the shop, and;
• Implementation of Council’s STEPS Plan.

“The STEPS Plan will form the basis of Council’s strategies for improvements around the municipal area over the coming years.  We have been working on this document, with input from focus groups and the public for the last 18 months, and are now at a stage where we will be starting to implement some of the recommendations.”

“There are a number of smaller projects that Council contributes to such as the CWA Water Awareness Program, partnership in the Tree2Sea Project and support for Council’s Special Committees that work on specific projects,” Martyn Evans said.

A rate increase of 4% equals approximately $50 per year for most properties.  This financial year will also see adjustment in property values due to the Valuer-General’s two yearly adjustment factor.  This takes into account the changes in property values for this coming year.

“Council continues to look at innovative ways of resource sharing to ensure that rate increases are kept to a minimum. 

“This year Council has undertaken an arrangement with Brighton Council to accept refuse from their municipal area, the fee for this will off set the running and environmental costs associated with the Peppermint Hill Refuse area.  This will provide a long term saving to ratepayers in the Derwent Valley,” said Martyn Evans.

See you at Lachlan

THIS month's meeting of the Derwent Valley Council will be held at the Lachlan Community Hall this Thursday. A community forum will be held at 6.30pm, providing an informal opportunity for residents and ratepayers to ask questions or raise matters of concern.

The council meeting will follow at 7pm. The agenda can be downloaded here. Please join us - and if you would like any assistance or information about the meeting, please do get in touch.

The council meeting roster for the rest of the year is as follows:

• 18 June 2015 - Lachlan Hall 7pm (community forum 6.30pm)
• 16 July 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm
• 20 August 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm
• 17 September 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm
• 15 October 2015 - Maydena School Hall 7pm (community forum 6.30pm)
• 19 November 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm
• (Monday) 14 December 2015 - New Norfolk Courthouse 6.30pm

National assessment for Wilow Court

MEDIA RELEASE

DERWENT VALLEY COUNCIL

The Derwent Valley Council welcomes the announcement that the Willow Court Barracks Precinct and Frescati House at New Norfolk are to be assessed by the Australian Heritage Council for possible inclusion in the National Heritage List.

Mayor Martyn Evans said that two of the buildings in the precinct were older than those at Port Arthur and were deserving of national recognition. The main building at Willow Court was built as an invalid barracks in 1830, designed by the convict architect John Lee Archer. Nearby Frescati House was built for Colonial Secretary John Burnett in 1834 at a time when the colonial governors favoured New Norfolk as their summer retreat. Both became part of a much larger hospital site that closed in 2000-01.

"The entire site has local and state heritage listing as well as being included on the Register of the National Estate which was the highest standard prior to the establishing of the National Heritage List," Councillor Evans said. "With only 124 places included on the list as it stands, we know it will be a rigorous assessment process but the council has no doubt about the national significance of Willow Court both as a convict site and for the story it tells about developments in the understanding and treatment of mental health and intellectual disability over a period of 170 years," Cr Evans said.

"Council understands that the assessment process may take as long as two years but we will not be sitting on our hands in the meantime," Cr Evans said. "Having recently expended more than $1.5 million on urgent conservation works at the Barracks and Bronte House, the council is exploring all options to continue that work. With our own funds exhausted, we are about to embark on a world-wide expression of interest process," he said.

Mayor Evans said the council was deeply appreciative of the interest shown by the Federal Minister for the Environment, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, and the Federal Member for Lyons, Eric Hutchinson MP, as well as State Cabinet members who visited the site last month. "Council sees the sensitive development of the Willow Court site as one of the keys to the future prosperity of the Derwent Valley. Our ultimate goal is to see Willow Court take its rightful place among the 11 other Australian Convict Sites on the World Heritage List," Mayor Evans concluded.

What's happening at Willow Court?

TWO of the biggest frustrations associated with the Willow Court site in New Norfolk are the slow rate of progress and the flow of misinformation. The two issues are closely related but one is more easily resolved than the other.

There are several websites dedicated to Willow Court and these quite rightly keep a close watch on progress at the site. That's a good thing. What's not so good is when opinions are presented as facts.

Several months ago when the council was considering the prospect of seeking expressions of interest for the ongoing development of the Willow Court site, a briefing was provided to the three main interest groups (Friends of Willow Court, Friends of Frescati and the Australian Paranormal Investigation Unit) before putting the proposal to a council meeting. All three groups were encouraged to submit their own expressions of interest should they wish to do so.

The proposal was then put to a regular open council meeting in March and I wrote about it here at the time. That meeting resolved to seek expressions of interest (EOI) for the development of the council-owned section of Willow Court and required that a draft EOI document be discussed at a councillor workshop and tabled at the May council meeting. Unfortunately the EOI document was not ready for the May council meeting last Thursday (May 21), so it was put to a special council meeting this Tuesday, May 26.

Contrary to what was stated on one of the Willow Court blogs yesterday, Tuesday's meeting was not a closed meeting. It was advertised in the daily newspaper and on the council website and any person who wished to attend the meeting was entitled to do so. Similarly, the agenda was open to the public and available in hardcopy from the council chambers and for downloading from the council website. The agenda is also available for downloading from the same blog that stated it was a closed meeting. On the night of the meeting, I personally unlocked the front doors of the courthouse meeting room. Sadly the public gallery was empty when council voted unanimously to proceed with the EOI process.

The same blog asserts: "It is expected that the Expression of interest will take up to 12 months, so the site will be left abandoned again for that period of time." I can assure the writer that Willow Court is far from abandoned.

Embarking on the EOI process does not mean we are giving up or stopping work. At the same time as testing the market for interest, we will continue to explore all other opportunities. In the absence of any further government funding, we have resolved to seek expressions of interest in the sale of the lucerne field below the new Woolworths supermarket, with all proceeds to go to Willow Court.

Far from forgotten, Willow Court is the subject of discussion at nearly every meeting of councillors.

• The Friends of Frescati hold working bees every second Sunday and have recently completed the undercoating of the rear wall of that important historic house to prepare it for painting in the spring.
• The Derwent Valley Players presented a short play in the grounds at Frescati earlier this month, assisted by the Friends of Willow Court and the Friends of Frescati.
• Government ministers have been familiarised with the site this month and the governor has visited a Heritage Month display on the site.
• The first stage of the redevelopment of the Barracks is almost complete, despite having slowed to a snail's pace - and councillors ask about this nearly every week.
• Bronte House is set to become the new home of the Derwent Valley Community House (more about that here).
• The council continues to explore all funding opportunities and is eagerly awaiting the outcome of the site's nomination for National Heritage listing.

How can you find out what's really happening at Willow Court? Ask any of the councillors.