Central Coast Council’s expertise in planning has been recognised at the Local Government NSW Planning Awards announced yesterday.

The Planning Awards recognise excellence in planning and development services delivered by individuals and councils.

Council Director of Environment and Planning, Mr Scott Cox, received the Outstanding Individual Contribution Award for excellence in leadership recognising his positive impact on planning and development services within Council and innovation in the planning and development space.

Mr Cox said he was honoured to accept the award and dedicated it to his team of professional and committed staff within Council.

“Since the formation of Central Coast Council in May 2016, we have worked extremely hard to make the most of this opportunity to transform and improve all aspects of the environment and planning business and to deliver faster and better quality planning outcomes for the community and business.”

“Our focus has firmly been on customer service priorities, accessibility, consistency and accountability and I believe this has been acknowledged through this award from NSW Local Government,” Mr Cox said.

Council Chief Executive Officer, Brian Bell, said Scott is an exceptional leader at Central Coast Council.

“Scott leads a high performing team at Council that has determined over 3500 development applications since the merger, equating to over $1.2 billion of overall investment approved to roll out across the coast,” Mr Bell said.

“These achievements not only put Central Coast Council at the forefront of delivering for the community but also deliver a high level of staff satisfaction as they are trusted and have the autonomy to perform their roles to the highest standard.

“Scott’s dedication to engagement with the development industry has also started the conversation about how Council and the sector can work together to deliver the housing, jobs and infrastructure the Coast needs.

“Through leading by example and modelling key organisational behaviours, Scott has significantly impacted his team and is a respected and valued leader within Central Coast Council.”