July 2024 Oberon Council Meeting

July 18, 2024

The meeting of Oberon Council on July 16 was quite short, with no contentious issues raised or debated.

Council agreed to enter into a new Memorandum of Understanding with Arts OutWest for the period July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2028. As its name suggests, AoW provides support for artistic activities throughout the region, and has helped out some local musicians as well as subsidising some of the shows at the Malachi Gilmore Hall. Their most recent local activity was support for the NAIDOC Art Exhibition.

There are twelve councils which contribute to AoW, Oberon among them, with council contributions set at 71c per resident. In 2023, Oberon Council's contribution was $3898, but this provided a return of $21,638 to the LGA. At a 555% return this was certainly a good investment.

Details of the MOU and a report about AoW's activity in Oberon can be found at page 69 of the meeting agenda.

Following a 28 day period on display, Council resolved to accept the Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy. The only real change was that charger installations would be prioritised for the Visitor Information Centre and the Library, with sites in the Dart Street and Tallys Lane car parks to be given more investigation. There were several comments from the public made during the display period and these can be seen following the strategy document at page 98 of the meeting agenda.

There is a proposal before Council from the Burraga and District Community Association to rename part of Lloyd Street in Burraga to Bill Klower Drive.

It's for the part of the road between Hackney Street and the Club

Council supports the change, although the relative rules at the Geographical Names Board might get in the way. The rules prohibit using more than one name and state that names must refer to the street or road from end to end. Mention was made of James Ruse Drive and there is the matter of Duckmaloi Road, Oberon Street and Carrington Avenue looking a lot like the same road, so there is obviously some flexibility in the rules.

Nobody could forget the water quality issues earlier this year (and for some time before that). Following a Water Quality Update report to Council for Council’s information in June 2024, Council requested "That a further report be provided on whether Council agrees on each recommendation in the CWT Report and a progress report on its implementation". The update can be seen starting at page 210 of the meeting agenda.

Normally the August Council meeting would be on August 20, the third Tuesday. As this date falls within the caretaker period leading up to the September LGA elections the meeting will be brought forward to Tuesday, August 13. Without this change, no binding resolutions could be passed at the meeting. There will be no meeting in September as the final results of the election will not be announced until October 3, and the October meeting will just be to swear in the new Councillors and elect the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and so won't be addressing any other matters. Normal Council meetings will resume in November with the new Councillors.

The agenda for the July Council meeting can be seen here.

You can see a recording of the meeting here.

The minutes of the meeting can be seen here.

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