Port Stephens - Social and Cultural Life

4.1.1 - October 2008...hmmmm

4.1.2 - June 2009 - this seems like a very long time indeed, it obviously isn't much of a priority

4.1.3 - Agree - great idea

4.2.1 - Agree - as above

4.3.1 - Raymong Terrace!!!!! Who for?

4.3.2 - does this really need to be done on a place basis? Port Stephens isn't that big a place

what about the outlying areas of Port Stephens.The forgotten 'gateway' of Karuah comes to mind.The council is spending money giving us traffic islands and trees that most don't want.the thought of improving drainage,kerb and guttering or decent street lighting seems to have escaped.how about replacing the playgrounds they keep removing? fixing the boat ramp[not talking about it]cutting the waist high grass verges.fixing the public toilets.Improving the ???public transport system so people can get around to socialise.I could keep going but the council always has an excuse.they must be too busy building bureaucracies with our rate money!

It is with great concern that I note that the timeframe for the construction of a new library in Raymond Terrace has been further delayed until 2015. The current facility is best described as third rate and does not meet the needs of the existing, let alone a growing population, which has already been identified as a disadvantaged community in terms of literacy and so on. While the library staff provide the best service they can, they can't do anything about a lack of space, a lack of resources and a lack of parking, along with a list of other issues too many to mention. While it would be advantageous to have the new library located within a cultural precinct, we simply can not wait for another 7 years for this to eventuate. The information, education and recreation needs of the community demand that a new library be built now. Council should reassess its priorities and allocate money to the areas of greatest need. It is unacceptable to dismiss the community's needs simply because people are satisfied with the level of service being provided (community survey 2007). Service does not equate to appropriate resourcing and adequate facilities.

Goal 1 Lifestyle

1.1.1. I hope part of this plan includes improvements to pedestrian access around Salamander Bay Shopping Centre - while Council negotiates for the sale of the land fronting Bagnall Beach Road the gravel access road is disintegrating and not being maintained. High priority should be given to footpaths in that area and there should be additional criteria to give them higher ranking in the Forward Works Program

1.1.2 How much does it cost Council to be a facilitator of networks of local providers of services to groups (disadvantaged or otherwise) Can this be web based information available to all. What is meant by this?

1.1.4 Where does the average person access a copy of the "Quality Aging Strategy" (and many other Council strategies) that are likely to have an effect on particular groups

1.1.5 How does Council plan to consult with the aging population about future planning for the framework?

1.1.6 A 5% increase in library usage within 3 years is not enough - it should be more to justify expenditure and the growing population of the area. More promotion of the facilities are needed.

1.2 Why is 1.2.4 (walking trail/cycleway maps)...." being incorporated into a section of the plan relating to Sports Council? It would be more appropriately placed with other pursuits (including tourism) It should also be linked to Asset Management (eg toilets, playgrounds, reserves)

1.2.3 Cycleway plans should be available to the public (the copy on the website is unreadable - the writing is too small even when using a zoom) They should be available when concept plans for any new cycleway are being drawn up so people can see the total impact of the section plan. They need to be linked to asset plans (placement of toilets, benches, etc.)

1.2.5 How is Council involved in a commitment to increase pool usage when these facilities are let to private operators? Who pays for the promotion of the facilities?

1.3.1 How does Council propose to involve youth when they are busy at work or school?

1.3.2 Volunteers Management Plan and anything given to volunteers for comment should be simple and written in plain english - not in bureaucratic nonsense. If Council wants to recruit volunteers, the first thing is to keep it friendly, as, after all, they are volunteering their valuable time.

1.3.3 How is the volunteer satisfaction survey to be distributed amongst volunteers. Will this be random? Does the community understand who makes up the Community Engagement Panel. Do they realise it is made up entirely of Council bureaucrats. Surveys have a way of being written so a predicted result is achieved. What will be the real story? Will volunteers feel intimidated to write what they think Council wants to hear so as to not "rock the boat"?

Goal 2 Young People and Children

2.1.1 How does Council propose to engage with children and youth via the Community Engagement Framework (A panel of Council bureaucrats) Aren't they are school or work?

2.2.1 I find it incongrous that Council proposes to increase by 50% within 3 years the number of communites that have access to services for children and young people yet they are proposing to reduce playground equipment in the area by 40% as part of the Asset Management Plan. Raymond Terrace, the lowest socio economic community in the Council area is hardest hit.

I question the involvement of Council in social welfare programs for children that is funded by ratepayers. I'm OK if it's Federal or State funded and Council is the facilitator, provided this is not ratepayer funded.

Insufficient attention is given to 10-16 year olds and more facilities should be provided for them, eg skateparks, targeted play equipment for older children. This might assist with vandalism incidents. Police and other welfare agencies should be conducting special programs, not local Council.

2.3.1 Once again the statement to implement sustainable child friendly communities by June 2009 is at odds with the lack of funding to maintain existing and expand playground equipment facilities (through the Asset Management Plan) If communities are to be friendly, there needs to a meeting place (eg well maintained park) within easy walking distance so cars are not needed, particularly by young families.

The Key Performance Indicators should include "increased use of public playground equipment", which might be harder to measure, but is more realistic than the cost of Council sponsored special programs for young people and children. The actual costs of these programs should be well documented from concept to completion (eg publicity, co-ordination, implementation, follow up) It would be hugely more costly than Council bureaucrats would have us believe. We have State and Federal Governments who organise these programs and the cost of duplication to us all is huge.

Goal 3 Safety

3.1.1. Web based program is commendable but how does Council propose to educate people without computers in crime prevention awareness education?

3.1.2 Graffiti Management Policy - long overdue. Council should put the $s to this policy and it should not just be another piece of paper that can't be resourced (like Abandoned Trolleys policy) It costs us far too much now.

3.1.7 Ranger hours for animal control should be increased by much more than 10 hours per week within 3 years! We need that now. It should be increased by that much every year. The number of breaches of dogs off leads increases with population and this causes much angst in the community.

Goal 4 Cultural Life

4.1.2 Council needs to be realistic about the scatter of communities across the area and not to try and implement something that might have worked in another more centralised community. Our location, reasonably close to cultural facilities of Newcastle should be taken into account and we should not duplicate what is available already.

4.2.1 The increase from 12 Council sponsored or supported cultural events to 21 within a 3 year period is completely out of whack with all the other priorities that Council should have, to spend the ratepayer $s. I'm for cultural activities but not at the expense of basic Council maintenance. Where is the budget to come from for this? Where are the events to be held? The facilities available in the area are lacking - we have no entertainment centre facilities outside Clubs on the Tomaree Peninsula and I'm damn sure residents from the Tomaree Peninsula would rather go to Newcastle for cultural enrichment rather than Raymond Terrace (distance the same)....if that is where Council plans to base most of the cultural activity. There should also be a balance between non indigenous and indigenous activity even if the latter gets the most funding from other government sources.

4.3.1 Agree with the development of a library in Raymond Terrace (sooner rather than later) but this is not the centre of the Council area for the development of a "cultural precinct" including exhibition space or performance space - even if this is not supposed to happen for another 7 years! Get on with the Library now but have another look at whether we really need another Port Macquarie "Glasshouse" fiasco here. It might be cheaper to buy the entertainment area at Salt Ash currently run by Woromi. (Yes... airport noise is an issue)

Key Performance Indicators

How does Council propose to conduct the Community Survey? Evaluations should take place at each event - not months after the events with some obscure reference to "Council sponsored events" in an overall Council survey. Most people don't know the difference between a Council sponsored event and others (or the extent of the "sponsorship", eg, residents think Council sponsors the Country Festival yet I understand that the promotion $s come from State funding.