THE monthly meeting of the Derwent Valley Council will be held at 6pm tomorrow (Thursday) at the courthouse in Circle St, New Norfolk. The meeting is open to the public and the agenda documents are available online and in hardcopy from the council chambers.
Police will once again be in attendance but on this occasion they will be guest speakers addressing the meeting. Constable Justin Abrahams will give an overview of the operations of the Derwent Valley PCYC, and Sergeant Chris Hey will provide an update on crime statistics and local policing.
Other items on the agenda include a proposal to wind up the council’s youth scholarship fund and donate the money to New Norfolk High School; a recommendation to approve a small brewery on the former Royal Derwent Hospital site; and a continuation of the council’s support for the New Norfolk Christmas Parade and the Derwent Valley Rotary Club’s Christmas fair.
The meeting will also consider a recommendation to close the short-stay self-contained camping area near the Millbrook Rise boat ramp due to anti-social behaviour and concerns about compliance with the National Competition Policy.
A review of the local Australia Day Awards Policy will also be tabled, including a recommendation to make councillors and council staff ineligible for nomination. Under the new policy, nominations would be considered by a selection committee of four councillors, instead of the Australia Day Committee, and their recommendations will go to a closed council meeting for endorsement. The report says there will be no community consultation on the revised policy as its purpose is only to assist councillors and staff with the selection process.
Councillors will also consider a revision to the Gifts and Benefits Policy aimed at bringing the council into compliance with the legislative requirement for its register of gifts and donations to be updated monthly and made available on its website.
Items of public interest to be discussed in a closed session include the disposal of council-owned land at Bryn Estyn and land tenure arrangements for the New Norfolk Rowing Club’s relocation to the Derwent Esplanade.
Any resident or ratepayer wishing to ask a question or make a statement at the council meeting can do so in writing using a form available from the council chambers which has to be submitted to the general manager 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.
