The draft Central Coast Council Operational Plan 2023-24 continues a focus on delivering services for our community while supporting Council’s ongoing financial sustainability.  Together with the draft Fees and Charges for 2023-24, the Operational Plan will be on public exhibition until Monday 1 May at yourvoiceourcoast.com Administrator Rik Hart encouraged the community to have their say.  “The financial performance of the organisation has turned around and Council’s steadfast financial management has increased our financial stability,” Mr Hart said.  “This draft Operational Plan shows a continued focus on delivery of services to the Central Coast community through prudent expenditure and incorporates the necessary adjustments to accommodate the increased depreciation trend and rising costs due to inflation.  “This is not a Central Coast Council problem but a challenge facing all councils in the current economic climate, and notably the limitations placed on councils to increase revenue.  “The draft Operational Plan shows our community that we are making sure our roads, open spaces, water and sewer assets and leisure and waste facilities are repaired and renewed.

Central Coast Council offices and a number of services will be closed or impacted over the Easter Long Weekend from Friday 7 to Monday 10 April and on Anzac Day on Tuesday 25 April.

A program of maintenance works is currently underway by Council to ensure the unobscured flow of stormwater runoff in urban channels at a number of high priority sites.

Central Coast Council has provided its first bi-annual Water and Sewer Delivery Plan 2022-2026 Progress Report.

Australia’s most internationally acclaimed glass artist – JamFactory ICON Jessica Loughlin:

The Coast’s new tourism management model guided by the Destination Management Plan (CCDMP) 2022-25 has helped turn the Central Coast into a $1 billion tourism powerhouse, and the industry is steadfast in their commitment to working with Council to continue driving tourism success at year in review.

The Entrance town centre, foreshore and surrounds will be buzzing with activities featuring a series of public art and activations planned from 7 to 16 April 2023 during this year’s Place Maker program.  Council is co-organising the event, which is focused on creating connections through art.

The outcome of the 25 March 2023 NSW State Election has led to a change of state government, with residents across NSW voting in the NSW Labor Party for the first time in 12 years.

The first term of school went by in a flash but don’t worry, Central Coast Council has you covered to keep your kids busy and entertained these school holidays.

Young people it’s time to raise your voice with ‘Thinking Out Loud’ Youth Forum returning bigger and better than ever in 2023!

Central Coast Council’s Harmony Day event, Flavours by the Sea, will return on Saturday 25 March bringing the tastes, sights and sounds of the world to the Central Coast.  Flavours by the Sea is an annual celebration of the region’s multicultural diversity with a taste of the world’s best food, music, and art along Terrigal Foreshore, from 11am-3pm.

Central Coast Council’s $9 million landfill cell at its Buttonderry Waste Management Facility has been awarded the Environmental Enhancement Project Award at the 2023 NSW & ACT Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) Engineering Excellence Awards.  Designing for the new cell commenced in June 2019 with construction completed in August 2022.

World Water Day on Wednesday 22 March is about accelerating change to solve the water and sanitation crisis and a chance to highlight Central Coast’s Council’s plans to secure safe drinking water for the region.  Council operates three dams (Mangrove Creek Dam, Mardi Dam and Mooney Mooney Dam) and three water treatment plants (Mardi, Somersby and Woy Woy), supplying filtered, treated drinking water to over 139,000 homes and businesses.

Last week, Council launched the Let’s Talk Gosford place-based community engagement project, which showcases multiple key projects, plans, strategies and infrastructure works planned for Gosford.

Council’s financial turnaround reached a landmark with the February Council Meeting adoption of the 2021/2022 Financial Statements after an unqualified audit by the NSW Audit Office.

Libraries on the Central Coast are celebrating a major milestone today, 16 March 2023!

Council’s draft Central Coast Local Housing Strategy is now on exhibition for community input.

Council is heading back out to the community to talk all things Gosford, just four months after its major community consultation project for the revitalisation of Gosford waterfront.

I was delighted to walk a stretch of the Tuggerah Lake Foreshore shared pathway at Long Jetty recently to check out the pictures Council has stencilled along the pathway.  The purposeful education campaign aims to raise awareness of pathway etiquette and safety for everyone and is an action of Council’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2021-2025.

Central Coast Council is continuing its commitment to deliver over $1 million worth of upgrades to Council leisure and recreation centres this financial year, with $300,000 being spent on new gym equipment upgrades at Lake Haven Recreation Centre.