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| September 7, 2009 | |
Helena Nelson Helena's cremation will take place Friday 11 September at 1.45 at the Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens & Crematorium Delhi Road North Ryde - West Chapel. All welcome but no details of the service available. In Paradise, Artists of the Northern Beaches  Opening 6pm-8pm Friday
11 Sept.Off shore artists Susan Rushforth and Tracy Smith will be exhibiting at Manly Regional Gallery in an exhibition titled "In Paradise, Artists of the Northern Beaches". This is to be opened by Rick Leplastrier this Friday 11th Sept 6pm-8pm Everyone is welcome. The exhibition runs until Nov 8th. Click image to load flyer Changes to recreational boating requirements. Penny Gleen from Pittwater Users Group reports the following... There have been many small changes to the legislation covering recreational boating. I strongly suggest that you go to the following link to update your knowledge. http://www.maritime.nsw.gov.au/rec_boating/sbh.html In particular, the safety equipment requirements have changed, and we are now required to carry a bilge pump, fire extinguisher, horn or whistle and fire bucket. Please find list attached. 
Local Council Notices Applications invited for Volunteer Grants Program The federal government’s Volunteers Grants Program is now open to applicants from eligible not-for-profit organisations to support their volunteers and encourage volunteering. The grants available from the federal government are from $1,000 up to a maximum of $5,000 and can be used for purchasing small equipment such as computers, air conditioners and barbeques to help volunteers in their work. Organisations can also apply for funding to contribute towards their volunteers’ fuel costs. Under the program, fuel costs can be claimed by individuals carrying out their volunteering work, including those who use their cars to transport others to activities, those delivering food and those assisting people in need within the community. Pittwater Mayor David James said that volunteers were the backbone of local communities. “Pittwater has a strong tradition of volunteering and the Council has a goal of increasing volunteering over the next five years.” “We welcome any support that is available to them and would encourage local organisations to apply for these grants,” he said. The closing date for applications for the Volunteer Grants Program is Friday 25 September. Applicants can apply online at www.fahcsia.gov.au or call for an application form on the toll-free hotline 1800 183 374. Church Point Alcohol Free Zone ! Pittwater Council meeting on Mon 7 Sept. discusses alcohol free zones, the upgrade to Kitchener Park Mona Vale and changes to tree preservation orders. Following is an excerpt from the report on renewals of Alcohol Free Zones & Alcohol Prohibited Areas where it relates to Thomas Stevens Reserve, Church Point. SUBJECT: Meeting: STRATEGY: ACTION: Alcohol Free Zones & Alcohol Prohibited Areas Community, Recreation & Economic Date: 7 September 2009 Development Committee Town & Village Building Communities Provide planning, design, investigation and management of town and villages. PURPOSE OF REPORT The purpose of this report is to detail the results of the public exhibition of the proposed changes to the Alcohol Free Zones (AFZs) and Alcohol Prohibited Areas (APAs) in Pittwater and seek Council endorsement of the changes. 1.0 BACKGROUND 1.1 The Local Government Act 1993 provides two primary methods for councils to manage the consumption of alcohol in public places: 1. A council may establish an AFZ (ss. 642-649) on a road, footpath or public car park. The AFZ may be in force for a period of up to four years, or for a special event. Police officers enforce AFZs. After recent changes to the legislation, the enforcement provisions related to AFZs no longer require a warning to be issued, and alcohol can be confiscated on the spot if someone is drinking or thought to have intent to drink in an AFZ. There is no longer a fine for drinking in an AFZ. 2. Where a council has the control and management of parks or reserves, it may erect notices (APA) to prohibit the consumption of alcohol, and/or other activities (s. 632). Fines may be imposed by authorised officers for persons acting contrary to a notice erected by a council. 1.2 Council has a number of AFZs throughout Pittwater that are due for renewal by 30 September 2009. In order to assist with the review of AFZs, the Ministerial Guidelines on AFZs released in February 2009, as well as the Department of Local Government (DLG) Evaluation of AFZs (April 2007) have been considered. 1.3 AFZs were introduced as an early intervention measure to prevent escalation of irresponsible street drinking to incidents involving serious crime in identified trouble spots. However, the DLG Evaluation found that AFZs have become a long-term measure used by most councils to address a variety of issues (once an AFZ is established 82% are re- established). It appeared from the review that in some cases these AFZs may in fact no longer have been required. For this reason a thorough review of the current AFZs and APAs has been conducted in consultation with key stakeholders. 1.4 The following is a list of the existing Alcohol Free Zones in Pittwater: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2.4 Thomas Stevens Reserve, Church Point 2.4.1 In the report to Council on 6 July 2009 staff identified concerns with alcohol consumption in Thomas Stephens Reserve, Church Point. Further review of the issues around this relatively small reserve indicate that there is a strong argument to make the Reserve an APA, prohibiting the consumption of alcohol 24 hours a day. 2.4.2 Historically significant groups of people have congregated in the Reserve and consumed alcohol often purchased from the former Church Point cellars (which is now operating from the General Store). This pattern of behaviour has effectively turned the Reserve at times into an outdoor drinking barn. 2.4.3 The use of the Reserve in this way creates issues for many residents who use the Reserve to access the Church Point commuter wharf. Anecdotal evidence highlights incidents of harassment and intimidation experienced by a number of people. 2.4.4 Staff therefore believe it is appropriate to prohibit alcohol entirely from this Reserve and recommend this proposal is placed on public exhibition. Staff recognise that people may want to purchase alcohol and move through the area to access the commuter wharf, so in this instance the APA would only apply to the consumption not possession of alcohol. 2.5 Proposed changes 2.5.1 Based on the submissions received and further consultation internally with Council staff it is proposed to continue the operation of the AFZ in the Newport residential area in the vicinity of the Newport Arms Hotel. 2.5.2 In addition it is proposed to include Thomas Stephens Reserve, Church Point as an Alcohol Prohibited Area, 24 hours per day. RECOMMENDATION 3. That Council place on public exhibition a proposal to prohibit the consumption of alcohol in Thomas Stephens Reserve Church Point 24hrs/Day. Here is the link to the entire report - note it is a big file! |
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