Council Meeting Highlights - October 2023

27 October 2023

Warren Shire Highlights: October 2023 

Warren Shire’s Ordinary Council Meeting was held on Thursday 26 October 2023. Highlights from this meeting included: 

ALCOHOL FREE ZONE RELAXED FOR WARREN STREET CHRISTMAS PARTY 

Warren Shire Council has resolved to relax the Alcohol-Free Zone in Dubbo Street, between Burton and Hale Streets, from 3pm to 10pm on Friday 8 December 2023, for the cordoned off area allocated to Ellerslie Lane, as the alcohol licensee for the Warren Street Christmas Party. Bring Your Own (BYO) alcohol will not be permitted at any other part of the event.

The Warren Street Christmas Party is part of the Reconnecting Regional NSW – Community Events Program designed to encourage community participation and generate business for local commercial outlets. 

The 2022 Christmas Party attracted over 600 people and was named Community Event of the Year in the 2023 Warren Shire Australia Day Community Awards. 

WOMEN’S WEEK GRANT APPLICATION

A 2024 Women’s Week grant application has been submitted by Warren Shire Council for a ‘Future Women of Warren Shire’ event to be held in March next year. 

Building on the popular Women of Warren Shire series, the Future Women of Warren Shire event focuses on a participation and engagement program for females aged 13 to 18 years in Warren Shire. 

The event proposes to feature a big-name female keynote speaker to present on achieving goals, dealing with setbacks, overcoming adversity, and developing resilience.

Following the keynote presentation, participants will break into small group workshops designed to help students recognise their strengths, set achievable goals and consider solutions to overcoming adversity within their own lives. 

Council will be advised on the success of its grant application later this year. 

LOCAL ROADS AND COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE GRANT PROGRAM PROJECTS 

Warren Shire Council has issued Request for Quotations (RFQ)’s for several projects funded under Phase 4A and 4B of the Commonwealth Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) program.

RFQ’s have so far been sent for:

• Replacement of picnic shelters in Saunders Park;
• Electric BBQs in Oxley Park;
• A flying fox and softfall playground equipment at Macquarie Park and softfall installation at Ravenswood Park;
• Warren and Nevertire Cemetery seat coverings and refurbishment of the Warren Cemetery entrance gates;
• Irrigation systems for Nevertire Community Park and the Warren Shire Library;
• Parks and gardens CCTV systems; and
• Tiger Bay signage refurbishment.

Under this program, purchase orders have also been issued for:

• Solar panel installation at the Warren War Memorial Swimming Pool;
• 1 x permanent and 2 x portable electronic scoreboards at Victoria Park; and 
• A retaining wall at the Warren Sporting and Cultural Centre. 

 The LRCI program supports Australian councils to deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects in their region, creating jobs and long-lasting community benefits. It is anticipated these works will take place in early 2024.

ON THE ROADS 

Crews are continuing to make progress on damage repairs and standard maintenance works across the Shire. Recent works include spreading gravel, rehabilitation work, grading, shoulder work, traffic control, patching, guide posting and sign spraying.

In addition, upcoming maintenance and rehabilitation works include: 

• Warren Road, Elsinore Road and Carinda Road.

Read the full Road Report on Council's website.

CAPITAL WORKS IN PROGRESS 

Major works are progressing on the Carter Oval Youth Sports Precinct, Warren Showground / Racecourse Upgrade and Warren Airport Upgrade, with all works scheduled for completion in 2023 or early 2024.

Current project and other works updates include: 

• Work is progressing on the Modular Amenities Building at Carter Oval Youth Sports Precinct, with contractors returning to the site this month to resume plumbing works. 
• Council has accepted a quote for $179,555.50 from Precinct Commercial Pty Ltd for concrete footpaths and pavement works at the Carter Oval Youth Sports Precinct. 
• The final rescoped design for the Library Lobby Upgrade and Landscaping Works presented to the Town Improvement Committee has been authorised and a renegotiated final price for the rescoped work accepted by Council. 
• A retaining wall has been constructed at the Ewenmar Waste Depot as part of a transfer station to enable better supervision of deliveries and easier segregation of materials. It is anticipated the transfer station will be operational later this year.
• Arrangements have commenced for the development of a tender specification for the supply and installation of a membrane liner at the Warren War Memorial Swimming Pool.
• Progress continues on the new Showground/Racecourse amenities, with installation of the superstructure frames completed.
• Construction of an accessible amenities facility for Warren Pony Club has been completed. This project has been made possible by the Crown Reserves Improvement Fund Program.
• A Development Application has been approved for construction of a bird viewing platform and amenities at Monkeygar Creek, Macquarie Marshes. The amenities contractor commenced work this month, with the platform contractor progressing fabrication of the platform.
• The collage wraps for the Lions Park and Warren CBD amenities are anticipated for completion by the end of this month, with installation and an official opening event for the Lions Park amenities to be considered for later in the year.

COMMITTEE AND DELEGATE NEWS 

• The Town Improvement Committee has recommended the Warren CBD Upgrade Project Plans be amended to not include any private land purchases at this time. 

The Committee has also analysed areas within Warren for the installation of CCTV cameras (parks and gardens).

• Council’s MANEX Meeting welcomed Interim Roads Infrastructure Manager, Vincent Kwong, to his role at Council, with upcoming works across the shire including flood and storm damage claim restoration. The proposed installation of LED lights at Victoria Park was also discussed. 
   
   

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Saturday 12 November 2023: Cotton Cup.
• Thursday 7 December 2023: Next Warren Shire Council Meeting. 
• Friday 8 December 2023: Warren Street Christmas Party. 
• Friday 15 December 2023: Twilight Race Meeting
• Saturday 16 December 2023: Warren Community Carols by Candlelight.

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