Straight from the horse's mouth – Central Coast Council is proud to support the third annual Horses Birthday Festival on the Central Coast.The 2018 Horses Birthday Festival is on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 July at Glenworth Valley and celebrates the standardised birthday for every horse in the southern hemisphere (1 August).Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the Festival is an innovative, popular event that is unique in New South Wales.“Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures is one of the Central Coast’s leading tourist attractions and the Horses Birthday Festival is a fun, unique event that helps position our region as a year-round holiday destination.” Ms Vaughan said.“Council is proud to support these types of events that bring our community together and attract visitors to the Coast during the off-peak season to drive economic and tourism objectives for the region.

Central Coast Council Library Service launched its museum-quality Spike Milligan Exhibition at Woy Woy Library last week at a special event.Council has created this new Exhibition paying tribute to the beloved entertainer, his family and the Woy Woy region as well as changes to the amenity and functionality of the Library.Council Local History Librarian, Geoff Potter, said the Exhibition holds a culturally significant collection of family photographs, recordings and memorabilia, with something for everyone.“This unique Exhibition offers a visually engaging, informative and interactive experience to be enjoyed by locals and visitors alike,” Mr Potter said.“A feature of the Exhibition space is a small theatrette where a brand new short film ‘The Milligans of Woy Woy’, which has been created especially for this project, will be shown.“This important collection pays tribute to the legacy of the world-famous comedian Terence ‘Spike’ Milligan and the lives of his parents Flo and Leo and brother Desmond, shedding light on the development of the wonderful Milligan world view.“Spike and his family had a very special connection to Woy Woy and the surrounding suburbs.“His parents emigrated to Australia in 1950 and even though it took almost a decade for Spike to visit his parents, when he finally did it is no surprise he fell in love with the area.“Even though he was born in India and grew up in England, Spike considered the Central Coast his home and he loved nothing more than to visit family, write and relax here.“Spike was supportive of many local organisations including the Woy Woy Little Theatre, Woy Woy Rotary Club and the Gosford City Orchestra as well as a major activist in the 1970s campaign to preserve Riley’s Island near Davistown from real estate development.“Many remember his role in helping to preserve the former St.

Central Coast Council’s new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Gary Murphy officially started in his new role today, taking over the reins from Brian Glendenning.Mr Murphy said he is looking forward to the challenges and opportunities of leading one of the largest councils in the state.“I believe in collaboration.

With HSC trials just around the corner, Central Coast Council Library Service are doing their part to reduce stress felt by students and parents with free online tutoring at the click of a button.The hugely successful ‘Studiosity’ program provides instant support from qualified professionals alleviating the worry students often feel while studying alone.Acting Unit Manager Libraries, Beth Burgess, said students feel enormous amounts of pressure to perform and get the marks required for university entry.“With Studiosity, students can study efficiently and obtain real-time assistance to ask questions they are not able to direct to their teachers, parents or friends,” Mrs Burgess said.“Students can also upload draft essays and written assignments and receive expert feedback within 24 hours, perfect for improving English papers.“With this amazing free service for library members, parents can rest at ease knowing professionals are there to help with advanced HSC subjects.“Free services like this are essential for our community to succeed, building confidence in students and supporting families during this critical year of study.”Last year, students who logged on to Studiosity through Council’s Library Service portal reported a 100 per cent satisfaction for feedback to their uploaded draft essays and written assignments.Studiosity Partnerships Director, Scott Harrison guaranteed parents that only vigorously screened, suitably qualified and trained individuals make it to become a Studiosity Subject Specialist.“Every applicant goes through a gruelling series of checks and tests to ensure students are being helped by quality professionals such as school teachers, university graduates, and professionals who really want to help students succeed,” Mr Harrison said.“What makes Studiosity different to other online learning tools is that students are never told the answers.

The 2018 Harvest Festival Central Coast, held over the June long weekend, attracted over 16,000 people and boosted the economy of the Central Coast by $3.7 million.This is the second year Central Coast Council has hosted the unique event with local producers promoting the hidden gems of the region’s hinterland.Council Unit Manager Community Partnerships, Glenn Cannard, said this was a fantastic result for the community and for the Central Coast as a whole.“We saw a 60 percent increase in visitors from the inaugural event last year which attracted 10,000 people – this is a fantastic result and shows word is spreading about this great Festival.“For the second year, event statistics show a high level of interest from out-of-region visitation to our local farming properties and this has positively impacted local businesses and the economy.“Harvest Festival is an innovative event model built around community partnerships and ownership.

Central Coast Council is offering young singers and singer/songwriters the opportunity to step into the spotlight through a unique competition starting on Friday 6 July.The Discovered vocal competition is a professional development series which helps singers aged 7-24 years find their voice, develop their skills, step up to the microphone and onto the road to potential stardom.Council Director Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said the competition had proved hugely successful and many past participants have gone on to compete in national competitions such as ‘The Voice’ and ‘Australia’s Got Talent’ and to make their mark in the music industry.“Discovered is much more than just a singing competition, which really is the key to its success,” Ms Vaughan said.“It is a stepping stone to future stardom with every young person who enters receiving feedback about their performance and how they can further develop.“The workshops also connect them with experienced professionals who can provide valuable insights into the music industry.”Based at The Hub Erina Youth Entertainment Venue, the Discovered program has been running for seven years.

Council has adopted an increased capital works budget for the next financial year by $50,000 from the publically exhibited capital works budget and allocated funding to major projects following community consultation on its three year Delivery Program and one year Operational Plan and Budget.Council received 173 submissions during the exhibition period of the plan and has allocated, from the Shared Pathway and Footpath Program, $250,000 to Shaun Brinklow Park at Copacabana and $150,000 for the concept design and community engagement for the Tuggerawong Pathway including detailed design of stage 1.

In an effort to attract more high-quality acts and performances to The Entrance, Central Coast Council is set to start construction this July on a roof extension over the existing Memorial Park stage facility.Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan, said that the extension is a welcome upgrade to Memorial Park and The Entrance Town Centre.“By providing enhanced protection to stage users from climatic events, Council will be able to better facilitate the execution of a broader range of attractions, events and activities on the stage,” Ms Vaughan said.“Additionally, the extension of the stage roof will provide an improved amenity in The Entrance Town Centre, with the upgrade also including accompanying infrastructure, such as additional power outlets and lighting.”Mayor Jane Smith said Council is committed to increasing tourism opportunities in the region, and the roof extension, along with other projects in Memorial Park and The Entrance Town Centre, is aligned with this commitment.“The visitor economy on the Central Coast makes a positive contribution to the community through building local pride, youth employment, and supporting local events and community infrastructure,” Mayor Smith said.“This project will increase economic, community and tourism development opportunities within The Entrance Town Centre, by allowing Council to host more significant and major events.”This project will cost $190,000 from Council’s capital works budget and is due to be completed by September 2018.

Central Coast Council has launched a new program of events and activities to help families plan for, and stay entertained, these July school holidays.Council Director, Connected Communities, Julie Vaughan said the launch of Council’s new full program of School Holiday events will make it easy for families and visitors to find out what’s on across the Coast and how they can get involved.“Central Coast Council run and support many events across the Coast which are important in bringing our community together and in supporting local people and local businesses.” Ms Vaughan said.“Our research shows that people look to Council to see ‘What’s On’ across the Coast and how they can get involved so we have pulled all our school holiday events and activities into one into one easy-to-understand program for the community.“The Council July School Holidays Program lists a combination of free and paid events including live shows and entertainment, football clinics, graphic design and film editing classes as well as hands-on craft activities and Green Living workshops.“We are delighted to run these events for the community to help keep the family entertained and make planning easier these school holidays.”Free live entertainment and activities will be on daily at The Entrance including dinosaur workshops, crocodile encounters, circus skills and special performances by the hit Australian children’s television show ‘dirtgirlworld’.

Council adopts first ever Community Strategic Plan for the regionCouncil has adopted the first ever Community Strategic Plan for the region, titled One – Central Coast.The plan represents the culmination of 18 months of extensive consultation with the community and establishes a road map for the future of the Central Coast over the next decade.Mayor Jane Smith said the process to develop the Coast’s first ever Community Strategic Plan engaged many thousands of people in the local community and is a true representation of what our community think, feel, want and value.“The adoption of the first Community Strategic Plan for the Central Coast is significant in many ways,” Mayor Smith said.“It is the first single plan that defines the priorities of our community and represents a considered and evidence-based roadmap for the future of the Central Coast.“It defines the environmental and social qualities the community have told us they love about the Central Coast and provides a clear path of action for what Council needs to prioritise and deliver to meet the needs of our growing population.The Plan comprises five key themes based on this vision that encapsulate the voice and values of the Central Coast community:BelongingSmartGreenResponsibleLiveableThe Plan also defines a Community vision – “We are One Central Coast.

Construction is now underway at Gosford Lions Park to modernise the memorial, increase usability and accessibility of the park and play space, and provide an overall upgrade to this foreshore area.The improvement works at the Masons Parade site include the re-establishment of the Lions Club monument to commemorate the centenary of Lions Clubs International, replacement of the existing play space and picnic tables, a new path way providing a link to the park furniture and BBQ area, upgrade of shelter sheds, and landscaping works.General access through the park and foreshore area will remain open, however areas will be closed at times to allow for individual works to be carried out.The park and foreshore upgrade works are to be staged over a five month construction period, which started on 8 June.The play space upgrade is also planned for completion by the end of 2018-19 financial year through Council’s Delivery Plan.The project is jointly funded by the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership program, Central Coast Council, and Gosford City-East Gosford Lions Club.

Central Coast Council is encouraging families to ‘stay in the swim’ through the winter season as three of its leisure centres continue to build their children’s swimming ability to stay safe on the Coast.Council Connected Communities Director, Julie Vaughan said keeping children swimming throughout all months of the year is important, as water safety is a year-round concern.“The dangers of water do not disappear when the weather gets colder, so keeping our children’s skills at an optimum level is our best defence,” said Ms Vaughan.“Additionally, winter swimmers make for future champions!

Traffic flow and parking have been identified as key themes emerging from the ‘Let’s talk Terrigal’ community consultation held earlier this year.During the consultation period, Council received 136 submissions from 116 individual stakeholders and over 200 community members attended two information session held at Terrigal Surf Club.Council Acting Director Assets Infrastructure and Business, Boris Bolgoff, said that based on the community consultation, Council had revised the design of Stage 1 of the works which will kick off on Monday 2 July.“We have listened to the concerns and suggestions from the community, and with due consideration to technical constraints, costs and the overarching project objectives have made changes to address community concerns,” Mr Bolgoff said.“The key changes Council has made to the original plans presented to the community include allowing Terrigal Esplanade to remain open to traffic all year round.

Central Coast Council is urging Coast residents to be part of the solution in reducing graffiti in our community.Free graffiti removal kits are available from all Central Coast libraries and Wyong and Gosford Customer Service Centres.

Central Coast Council is undertaking a flood study within the contributing catchments of the Green Point, West Gosford, Point Clare, Koolewong and Woy Woy Bay urban areas.The study will identify flash flooding ‘trouble spots’ and assess what measures are required to reduce the risk of flooding during significant storm events.Council Acting Senior Manager Property and Asset Management, Brett Sherar, said Council was seeking the community’s help to collect information on past flooding experiences and local flood knowledge to help with the selection of flood reduction measures.“These suburbs have been identified as priority areas and this study will focus on stormwater that overwhelms the drainage network causing flash flooding and inundation from elevated water levels,” Mr Sherar said.“Local knowledge and experience in times of flash flooding is critical to the success of this study.“We would really like as many residents in these affected areas as possible to contribute to this study by completing the questionnaire, sharing their stories, photos or videos of flood events so we can gain a complete understating of flooding in these local areas.“Even if you are new to the area, your thoughts and opinions regarding how you would react in the case of a flash flooding event are important to this study, so please take the time to take part.”Residents in areas covered by the study will receive a letter from Council containing a paper based survey and a reply paid envelope.

Central Coast Council is running a series of project planning and grant-writing workshops to help community organisations maximise their chance of securing much needed grant funding.Experienced non-profit trainer Natalie Bramble will lead the free community workshops.

Central Coast Council has won the Environmental Leadership and Sustainability award at the 2018 NSW Local Government Awards for its Tuggerah Lakes Digital Resource and Communication Program.The Council was also named Highly Commended in the Creative Communities category for its work with the community on the Maliga Indigenous Arts and Cultural Showcase.The NSW Local Government Awards are hosted by Local Government Professionals Australia, NSW and are hotly contended.

Council receives report on water and sewerage performanceCouncil has noted a report on the 2015-2016 performance for water and sewer operations, which has been used to help prioritise an ongoing program of work and to identify focus areas for major projects.Mayor Jane Smith said performance reports informed the Water and Sewer Strategic Business Plan, which was recently endorsed by Council and will be submitted to the NSW Department of Primary Industries.“Central Coast Council operates as a water utility and we implement a range of measures to ensure our community receives quality drinking water and effective sewer services,” Mayor Smith said.“We operate in a highly regulated environment and this report demonstrates how closely we monitor our water and sewer systems.”Performance indicators in the 2015-16 report highlight areas where Council is tracking well and areas where improvement is needed.“This report shows the average Central Coast water bill is lower than both the NSW and National averages, which will be welcome news for our community,” said Mayor Smith.“Council’s operating costs were also significantly below the NSW and National average.“We acknowledge there are clear areas where improvements are necessary, including the number of water main breaks.“A number of measures are being implemented and proposed to reduce the number of water main breaks, including over $4.7million flagged for the water main renewal program which is expected to commence in the 2018-19 financial year.”“We are also planning a $10 million sewer main rehabilitation program over the next four years, which involves the installation of a synthetic pipe liner that reinforces the existing pipe structure, seals any leaks and prevents future tree root intrusion.“The technology used minimises disruption to sewer services and generally avoids the need for any ground excavation.”A number of performance indicators have improved in data captured for the 2016-17 report, which is due to be published soon. Salary increase confirmed for Mayor, Deputy Mayor and CouncillorsCouncil has now fixed the annual fees to be paid to each Councillor at $29,970, a 2.5 percent increase, with additional fees to be paid to the Mayor and Deputy Mayor in accordance with recommendations by the NSW Local Government Remuneration Tribunal (NSWLGRT).Central Coast Council has been classified as a Regional Strategic Area by NSWLGRT, along with Lake Macquarie Council in recognition of the large population and because of the range of urban and rural settlements.

Council has awarded more than $420,000 to 33 community organisations to help them deliver activities and events which build the community’s capacity and create stronger local connections.The most recent allocations bring Council’s investment in community grants to over $1 million this financial year.Mayor Jane Smith said it is great to see community organisations taking advantage of the funding opportunities available to help make their big ideas happen.“Our grants programs give our community more opportunities to build on ideas which enhance the quality of life on the Coast,” Mayor Smith said.“Council cannot do everything ourselves and these grants build community capacity and give local groups the funding to deliver services and quality opportunities for our growing community.”Four organisations will share in $14,834 through the Community Support Grant Program to deliver community activities which require a small amount of funding and/or in-kind support including Compass Housing for a community hub ($3810), 5 Lands Walk opening celebration ($5000), Mannering Park Precinct Committee ($1024) and $5000 for the Kincumber Neighbourhood Centre.$98,141.50 has been allocated to 12 organisations to deliver innovative activities that celebrate the region’s character and diversity under the Community Partnership Grant Program:Rocky Trail Entertainment – Lakes Festival Scavenger Hunt $9000Police Citizens Youth Clubs – 2018 sunrise boxing event $15,500Eastcoast Foods & Beverages – day on the farm $9475Gosford District Garden Competition – 2018 garden competition $11,180Peninsula Environment Group – Woytopia Sustainable Living Festival $7512Country Junior Rugby Union of NSW – Country junior rugby carnivals $5100Art Studios Cooperative – Australian Spirit finale event $6782Australian Boutique markets – Park Feast, Gosford waterfront $2307Central Coast Bombers – 9’s tournament $3920Davistown Putt Putt Regatta and Wooden Boat Festival – 2018 festival $14,165Central Coast Kids Day Out – 2018 event $7700Central Coast Hockey Association – U15 boys/girls Hockey NSW indoor state titles $5500.The Community Development Grant Program will deliver $311,265.75 to 17 organisations to deliver activities that foster a sense of community, build capacity within community groups, strengthen the economic base, enhance quality of life and protect and enhance the Coast’s natural qualities:Take 3 –sustainability hub $30,000NSW ARM (Central Coast Mentoring Network) – secondary school mentoring $15,000Mangrove Mountain and Districts Community Group –hall kitchen upgrade $10,183The Rhythm Hut – Queendom $14,505Miracle Babies Foundation – neonatal intensive care survival packs $6,000Empower Golf Australia – permanent disabled golfer facility $19,050Avoca Kayak Club – kayak community inclusions program $34,000Musicians Making a Difference –career impact days $45,000St Vincent de Paul Society – Tasty Talk Tuesday $11,328Mingaletta Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation – documentary film $20,542.50Peninsula Environment Group – ‘Can I wheelie learn to walk in your shoes’ $11,650Long Jetty Locals- Long jetty Street Festival 2018 $20,562.25Central Coast Scots – 2018 Scottish Spectacular $9,823Water Circle – Creative enterprise start up $7000NAISDA Dance College – public performance and community engagement program $16,000Central Coast Outrigger Canoe Club – canoe purchase – $20,000Live Life Get Active – camp $19,992Council’s staff will contact the organisers of the Long Jetty Street Festival seeking clarification if they wish to withdraw their funding application and report back to the 25 June 2018 meeting to reallocate funding if required.Information about Council’s Community Grants Program can be found at centralcoast.nsw.gov.au/grants including upcoming grant writing workshops.

Central Coast Council will run two Community Information Sessions to discuss the impact of the NSW Government’s proposal to revitalise Gosford City Centre.The Department of Planning and Environment and the NSW Government Architect have released proposals to revitalise Gosford City Centre.