The cost of housing is very high and under pressure. People are under great pressure and affordable housing is a major issue. To continue to raise rates is not the answer. It hurts pensioners, tenants young home owners, and most households. Residential rates can be cut by 25% by reducing the Councills operating costs by about $12m.  

Community greening, environmental education, stormwater management, ClimateCam and more. Newcastle has a reputation for being at the forefront of environmental management and education. What would you like to see Council achieve in this area over the next 18 months? 

What would you like to see achieved by Newcastle City Council over the next 18 months? 

Council has a budget of $197.4 million to provide and manage our services. Are there any specific changes to expenditure you think Council should consider? 

Newcastle City Council provides dozens of distinctly different services and facilities. What service or facility do you value most and why?  

A flood is when heavy rainfall causes an overflow of a natural and or man made drainage system.
Newcastle drains are constructed to design standards to cope with all but unusual events.
When drains are more …

Newcastle has hundreds of kilometres of roads and footpaths, thousands of kilometres of stormwater drains and over 500 buildings. What would you like to see Council achieve in this area over the next 18 months? 

Judging on the performance of some of the current councillors, Newcastle and its civic administrators would benefit from better informed and educated councillors who are civically minded enough to be involved in all aspects of their job and not just those issues that are important to them. Perhaps all candidates need to be educated in their responsibilities and duties BEFORE they actually run for election to prevent them then turning around and complaining about or participating in poor procedural process/es. 

Newcastle City Council like lots of others in NSW has lost site of its primary function, the provision of quality infrastructure to allow for the development of a viable and dynamic city. Too much ratepayers money is spent on touchy, feely social programs that are not the responsibility of local government. Spend ratepayers money on things that benefit all ratepayers - roads, footpaths, parking facilities, streetscapes, sporting facilities and the like. 

The draft 2008/09 budget is based on the 3.2% increase provided for under the State Government rate cap.
Two options are being considered. One option is increasing the existing base charge while option more …

Most of us like a grog but we do not like our City damaged, violence and left filthy by excessive drinking and unruley behaviour.
Changes to The NCC Management Plan can have a major impact on the position more …

Last year, the State Government brought in new laws allowing for the introduction of a stormwater service charge. This new charge recognised the need for councils to raise funds specifically to tackle more …

Making decisions, developing long term strategic plans, assessing development applications, collecting rates and keeping the community involved are just some of the jobs for the city administration. What would you like to see Council achieve in this area over the next 18 months? 

Last year, Council committed to increasing spending on infrastructure and asset maintenance to catch up on ‘cleaning up the city’. This objective was reflected in pre-draft consultation with many comments more …

Newcastle has a huge range of recreational facilities including over 300 parks, more than a hundred playgrounds and many sporting fields. We enjoy our patrolled beaches and inland pools as well as our libraries and other cultural facilities. What would you like to see Council achieve in this area over the next 18 months? 

At the community consultation workshops there was a major call to clean up the Newcastle LGA especially the CBD. The draft budget shows very little effort or expenditure. Why?  

We need more funding for horse lanes as well as cycleways as an answer to the imminent Global Warming City Flooding catastrophe.
We suggest diverting Ocean Baths funding to this endeavour. 

In 2007/08 Council requested and the Minister approved a special rate increase on the basis that the City's infrastructure needed an extraordinary funding boost to address its deteriorating condition. more …

A lot of members of the public have given up on contributing to the NCC Management Plan process this year, after being largely ignored by the Elected Council administration and the Minister last year. more …

Council generates income from a variety of sources including rates, grants, waste income and more. Where do you think council should focus its efforts to increase income? 

From the Service Unit budgets in the Detailed Budget document (a) the net funding requirement has risen 15.5%, (b) the expenditure is up by 14%, (c) income is down by 10%.
How can this be best practice? Last years 10% rate increase was conditional on Council making major savings. Where are the savings? 

The Draft Detailed Budget Document shows that Service Unit staff have risen yet again. Up from 1028 to 1035. At a time when the community called for Council to get its house in order this increse does not seem reasonable.  

The draft Management Plan contains a number of service level variations which are changes to staffing levels of services. The proposed variations include:
• Additional staff to address increased legislative requirements. For example; OH&S,integrated planning and consultation, • Additional staff to support the expanded infrastructure improvement program, • Self-funded and income producing positions,and, • Staff previously attached to projects nowproviding ongoing services.
Do you have any comments on these proposed service level variations?  

What I really dislike and should not be funded in the Management Plan process is the items and activities that are a gross waste of money and scarse resources. To me items of waste should be cut from the Management Plan in order to make Council operations more efficient and cost effective. 

The domestic waste management service charge for 2008/09 is proposed to increase from $226.03 to $234.33 including the $40.35 per tonne State Government waste levy.
Do you have any comments to make in relation to the rating options proposed? 

The domestic waste management charge is to be $234.33. It is compulsory to all residential property.
The Charge to businesses is $133.08 and they can choose to have the service.
Lets make the charge more …

The best way for Councillors, the DLG, the Minister and the Local Government Ombudsman and external observers to assess the effectiveness of the Community Consultation process could be to examine any more …

To save on costs, local goverment should start utilising the Work For The Dole Schemes, as you will find that would be a huge savings on costs of projects ( not at tradesmen prices), ie: restoration of more …

Funds allocated for Art in this Management Plan should be distributed equitably across all forms of Art by the establishment of an Art Grants Fund.
Points to consider o The NRAG is only one provider more …

It is good to see that council will continue to support the Kooragang Wetlands. Previous funding has provided the community with great recreational areas allowing us to picnic or fish along the river banks, and birdwatch, walk or cycle within the wonderful and various areas of Ash Island. Such places freely available to the residents of Newcastle are an important and treasured asset. Thankyou Newcastle Council 

The New Management Plna should incorporate a reduction of residential rates by 25%.
Points to consider o The ability of residential rate payers to pay rates has diminished greatly over the last few more …

The new management plan and budget should incorporate funds to implement a massive improvement in the appearance of the LGA and in particular the City. We all know if you want to sell your house the first more …