Firstly $500,000 was newly allocated for vegetation clearing on rural roads, with the priority towards addressing safety issues. This was in response to submissions from various communities around the Hastings, highlighting problems from vegetation encroaching onto sight lines. 

Please contact council if you know of a vegetation problem spot on our roads. Call, drop a note into a council branch office, or email council@pmhc.nsw.gov.au or use the free phone app Snap Send Solve which sends a picture and the location direct to council. Vegetation issues on rural roads will be addressed progressively in the coming year, with priority on safety issues.

Secondly, the fee for high risk rural on-site sewage treatment systems is now set at $100 for the year in comparison to the proposed fee of $200. The change came after submissions from residents, in recognition of the significant increase from $39 to $200 for high risk systems, with councillors requesting the general manager come back with a proposal which did not involve such a large increase to affected residents. The costs to council are unchanged, but will now be covered in part by the on-site sewage reserve rather than directly from residents.

The 2016-2017 budget is the fourth and final for this term of councillors, and in my view there has been significant achievement during these four years. Not only has there been a steady increase in capital works over the period, but also increased investment in footpaths (up $500,000 per year), preventative road resealing (up to about $1 million per year) and storm water maintenance (a new allocation of $500,000 for the year). These gains arise from various sources, including grants and use of reserves, but also from internal improvements in work processes and methods of purchasing.

This column is Cr Intemann’s opinion and not necessarily that of council.