At the latest Hawkesbury City Council meeting, the following decisions were made by Council.
Councillors Christine Paine, Jill Reardon and Mike Creed were absent from the meeting.
Planning decisions
Council approves South Windsor granny flat
A proposed granny flat in South Windsor was approved, despite the fact it was bigger than Hawkesbury’s Development Control Plan regulations.
Items from the general manager
Water management conference
Items from the director of city planning
Fire safety complaints
Council investigated and handed down several orders to owners of Lachlan Mall, Windsor, to comply with fire safety regulations, after a complaint from Fire and Rescue NSW.
Shops in the building had blocked access to fire hose cupboards, while cars were parking in front of a fire escape among other issues.
Council ordered shop keepers to clear up access to the hsoes and for the owners of the building to put a bollard in place to stop cars blocking the fire escape.
Homelessness policy updated
Council adopted a new homelessness plan, which will see frontline Council workers trained to deal with the needs of homeless people.
Cr Barry Calvert praised the plan, which was voted through 9-0.
Items from the director of support services
Councillors vote themselves pay rises
Councillors will take home an extra 2.5 per cent per year, after Council voted to adopt the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal’s recommendation of fees for the 2016-17 financial year.
The Mayor could take home an extra $1000 per year, while councillors could take home an extra $60 per year.
The Mayor’s maximum pay was set at $41,090, while for councillors it was $18,840.
Richmond Club given land title
Council discharged its name from a title document for land which the Richmond Club owned.
The Wilberforce and Dsitricts Sport and Recreation Club, which later merged with the Richmond Club, bought land at 25 Woodlands Road, Wilberforce in 1994 from Council and paid off the mortgage in 2010.
Council rents office space
Council has rented office space to the Macquarie Towns Arts Society and the Hawkesbury Nepean Community Legal Centre for $184.06 and $1672.46 per month respectively.
Council writes off bad debt
Council wrote off two debts that the general manager believed it would not be cost effective to pursue.
Debts of $570.80 and $2836.20 were written off after Council had exhausted options to recover them.