Ian Scandrett, Councillor, Wingecarribee Shire Council | Politician

Ian Scandrett, Councillor, Wingecarribee Shire Council

Phone: +61 418 296 161

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24.01.2022 No H.E.L.P. to CWA from another great association - the NRMA would rather spend tens of millions next year on a centenary roadshow and big sculpture things on highways.Even IAG [NRMA licensee] insurance is helping]. NRMA & your board is wondering why just 30 turned up at the $200k NRMA AGM in Tamworth on the 8th November. Profit - nearly $80m. Assets nearly ten times that. S.H.A.M.E.

23.01.2022 It is NOT a "2 storey house" as some Councillors maintained - it is a "Block of Flats" - 10 bedrooms; 4 loungerooms; 4 kitchens; bathrooms galore; 5 parking spa...ces[!]... And there will be a tsunami of these applications in Colo Vale. So I have lodged a rescission motion with Clrs Halstead and Whipper to bring it back to Council on July 24th. This DA is contrary to our planning rules these but as "allowable" under the State Government Seniors Living SEPP - totally contrary to the character of the street and Colo Vale. The motion says 1. THAT The proposal DA 19/0387 be refused. 2. THAT the applicant be invited to submit a DA for a one storey Seniors Living Development

22.01.2022 Great seminar on marketing and especially recovery from bushfire trading impact. Another session is next Thursday morning 7.15am ! Thankyou Banter Group.

18.01.2022 I continue to express my [own] views against the reduction of hours at our RRC - a core service! Roads, rates & rubbish folks.. To fund the $500k pa [for 5 years] proposed Regional Art Gallery Council [9/2018] Council voted [8:1] for this funding strategy in the budget June - it represents over $200k pa in lost RRC staff hours AND we still don't have the gallery business case study and plans 12 months later YET we are collecting these funds for it - having cut the hours ... e...g now closes 1.30 Sundays. Rubbish you say: and in 2017 Council voted 8:1 against costing [yep, just simply costing!] an kerbside waste collection service in the Northern Villages and across the Shire - >$200k would have been very significant in that ... Gallery has good merit but not at the cost of reducing core services, and as I said then - "we could gold plate it" if we ditched the Station Street upgrade - now over $42m total now [in my view, was consulted at $9.5m 2 years ago]... Minutes: https://www.wsc.nsw.gov.au//16-19-september-2018-extraordi

18.01.2022 Reset your Council! .... Good to see Council Executive are going to hold the "Introduction to being a Councillor" workshop hosted by Local Government NSW - only 2 weeks ago I couldn't get a seconder for that... Presented by former Mayors they are a warts and all discussion. Similarily, I am happy to meet with anyone who is interested.

18.01.2022 Worth a read, watch and share folks ... I am Very Pleased!

15.01.2022 Council had a briefing on the "Station St upgrade-not-a-bypass project" yesterday. Again I said it could not be confidential but all Clrs and the GM stated it was. I said it was WSC community owned land; there was no competitive tender process and the briefing was not a formal meeting of Council etc etc. Some 8 minutes was spent on "discussing" this, with Mayor Duncan Gair trying to get me to leave [I'm an elected representative]; taking a [non legal ie non binding ] vote via... a show of hands [7:1 Clr Nelson away o/s]; and then stating he would not have the briefing! The GM quickly responded and persuaded him to have the briefing - we had many staff and some consultants there. I stood on a open & transparent Council platform and continue to say these briefings must be in the Chamber before a Council meeting. Same for developers proposals. Why I [or Clrs or Council] should be "forced" to protect a developer's proposal is beyond comprehension but that is the culture here. And in Auburn as someone said recently. The late Ted Mack endorsed me and of course he advocated, as do I was that all Council business should be in the Chamber. Ted was supported by his Councillors - of course I am fighting 8:1 on these transparency issues, including our 2 Green & "Half-Green" Clrs - yes amazing. The same non legal show of hands vote applied to a Developer bringing an unsolicited proposal for Council land recently. I held the line & said it should be in the Chamber. The Mayor then cancelled the briefing and the developer went home. The GM advised yesterday she is bringing a change to our meeting code of meeting practice on the 25th March to make Councillor briefings confidential! All Clrs voted a year ago to remove questions from the public and 3 years prior to that to stop live questions in Council from the public. Re Station St briefing all I will say at this time is it will come to Council on the 25th March and the Agenda & reports will be published on Friday 20th March around 2pm.

15.01.2022 HIGHLANDS THEATRE GROUP TURFED OUT OF MITTAGONG PLAYHOUSE A DAY BEFORE SHOW PREMIERE WINGECARRIBEE SHIRE COUNCIL SHUTS DOWN TWO MITTAGONG ASSETS IN ONE DAY. As... of 4:37pm on Thursday 24 October, no one is permitted to enter the auditorium of the Mittagong Playhouse, with placards slapped on the building to advise of such, authorised by Wingecarribee Shire Council (WSC). Despite the abrupt shutdown, the northern side of the building, currently occupied by the Berrima District Historical Society, remains open to the public. The Highlands Theatre Group (HTG) production of ‘Anne of Green Gables’ has been indefinitely postponed, with a date yet to be advised as WSC have condemned their own building. The news comes as part of what appears to be a Council castigation campaign as just a few hours earlier, WSC closed the publicly owned Mittagong Swimming Pool, yet again. Steve Cheers, President of HTG sent an urgent media release that stated, The show was scheduled to open today, Friday October 24th and run for nine shows, with over 1,200 tickets sold so far. Mr Cheers continued, As a small theatre company and a not-for-profit community group, Highlands Theatre Group are devastated to advise of these most unfortunate circumstances, and we thank our supporters for your understanding, and the expressions of sympathy already expressed. The Mittagong Playhouse was leased to HTG by the Council, yet issues have arisen regarding the building’s roof and a structural wall to the carpark. Council sources have informed LattéLife that engineers have been assessing the Playhouse for improvements and renovations, but a heated exchange at a confidential Council briefing session ensued on Wednesday this week (23 October), prior to the ordinary meeting of council in the afternoon. Outspoken WSC Councillor, Ian Scandrett has informed LattéLife, I will be demanding to know when this issue was first identified and why it has taken until know to act on it. He continued, This is unbelievable that this has come at the eleventh hour of a sold out show. I will be demanding of Council’s Deputy General Manager of Operations, Finance and Risk, Barry Paull, to ask how long he has known about these structural issues. In my view, maintenance of our (WSC) assets is appalling, added Mr Scandrett. LattéLife has sought comments from Mayor Duncan Gair about the Council multiple asset closures within a 24hr period, regrettably Mr Gair is overseas and unavailable. Deputy Mayor Garry Turland is currently in Japan and also unavailable. Mr Cheers of HTG concluded, HTG will endeavour in the next few days to seek an alternative venue for ‘Anne of Green Gables' to be performed prior to Christmas, and will advise ticket-holders as soon as possible. Tickets remain valid, but if patrons require a refund, please email [email protected] and advise of the name and date of tickets booked. PHOTO: Mittagong Playhouse.

15.01.2022 A sydney fellow has a professional fireworks display state RFS approved for his 50th tomorrow night on his acreage near Berrima tomorrow night. One road in! N...ot popular with locals and I don't disagree - a very poor look. I am appalled. Our hard working RFS are caught between a rock and a hard place in this with the applicant having a state fires exemption (#4) - this can only be overridden if a State Emergency is declared. NSW FB now aware. No doubt there will be calls tomorrow night tiring up emergency services and we all hope no errant fireworks into the bush etc ... so why should this event be happening at all??

14.01.2022 A big opportunity for 2ST's Graeme Day to show he can do more than just talk?? We'll see if he can raise the funds .... or will he advocate we should cut the RRC hours even more for the Arts?? Meanwhile, Goulburn is getting the job done again. Mayor Bob Kirk says: "Goulburn’s popular river walkway will be home to a brilliant new sculpture by the end of this week. Shaped out of corten steel, David Ball’s ‘Fracture’ is over four metres high and will present an impressive piece ...that will create wonder and awe for all users of the walkway. Fracture is one of a series of monumental works by David Ball, the second of which won the 2017 Sculpture by the Sea major prize. David’s work is of a universal nature, and its interpretation is open to the viewer. It will be installed by the Wollondilly River Walkway, to the east of Gibson Street on a beautiful grassy reserve, and will be a great feature of this community space". As with previous ideas - with merit - for a sculpture exhibition on the walk alongside the Wingecarribee River on the Bong Bong path - the major issue will be underwriting & the infrastructure for visitors. Graeme Day on 2ST raised this river walk exhibition idea again this morning and fails to acknowledge the significant funding issue. Maybe all his advertisers will kick in? Or will Graeme Day advocate we should cut the RRC hours even more ?? Plus, the recently approved Bong Bong Masterplan doesn't include any toilets on the track where the Phillip St, Burradoo entrance path from [did you know we built that last term?], so portable toilets will need to be costed into any event. And yes I did lobby [on my own] for permanent toilets along this very popular walk and the answer was toilets are only planned at Cecil Hoskins reserve. Maybe at the aero club site - maybe? Meanwhile, everyone does their own thing - which we just look past. See more

12.01.2022 Having been the only Councillor [8:1] against this reduction in hours I continue to say it is a huge reduction in our core ie essential services. This decision even had the support of 2ST's Graeme Day who did 5 editorials supporting it! So much for his ordinary listeners and his constant demands for basic services!! "Cash for Comment" said one PM to me... Think the old "RRR" - roads-rates- rubbish and here we are closing the RRC on Sunday afternoons to fund an Art Gallery! ...Plus adjusting the opening & closing M-S.. I'm not against the art gallery but it should be a properly consulted pre draft budget decision with the community about project priorities & grants. In my personal budget communication survey 416 folk said they had no knowledge of this proposal - exactly my point. But like the infamous Station Street Upgrade [was $9.5m 9/2017 now $42m] decision, we simply don't - just lip service to our 28,000 adult ratepayers.! Here are the hours: RRC CURRENT HOURS: Up to Sunday 14/7/19 Open: 7 days/week 7:30am - 4:30pm RRC NEW HOURS: From Monday 15/7/19 Open: Monday to Saturday: 8:00am - 4:00pm Sunday: 8:00am - 1:00pm [plus the Reviva - charity operated - will now close all Sunday].

11.01.2022 Folks, you, the community will be the big loser if the live stream is moved away from Facebook, which a majority of Councillors can determine to do so in a forthcoming report to Council. The Mayor reads out a statement at the beginning of the broadcast / video and it is more than fair enough - it is reasonable. You can review today's finance meeting with the Mayors reading that and Clrs Comments on the live streaming on Wingecarribee Shire Council This Shire had waited 7 yea...rs for videoing / live streaming and I hope that people will now make only constructive comments and observations, not attacks and cheap shots. True suggestions, feedback, observations can be emailed to Councillors [[email protected]] and complaints lodged via the Code of Conduct process. Anyone who may, on reflection, think they overstepped the mark inadvertently in a broadcast / videoing might wish to address that here and to all the Councillors via email. Clr Ian Scandrett

10.01.2022 As previously advised folks - this is your opportunity to have your say, good or not, suggest improvements and solutions or simply. Good work by State Gov Wendy Tuckerman to invite this.

09.01.2022 about to do an interview on Highlands FM 107.1 with John Sider

09.01.2022 At Bowral Station Council wants to REMOVE 118 carparks with a $7.5m state grant! Destroys a great railway interchange. I continue to oppose this along with many... of the community. The Premier needs to look into this! Clr Ian Scandrett https://twitter.com/natalia_coo/status/1232135432550277123

08.01.2022 IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS OF AYLMERTON, BRAEMAR, BALACLAVA, WILLOW VALE, MITTAGONG, WELBY ALONG WOMBEYAN CAVES RD AND JOADJA RD: Posted at 2225 on 3.12....20 Due to the expected increase in fire activity with the forecast on Saturday 4th January the NSW RFS recommends that residents in the areas denoted above should relocate away from the area for the day. Mittagong RSL and the Moss Vale Services Club are open for residents to go to for the day where tea and coffee etc will be made available.

08.01.2022 The video's are also on my personal FB page

06.01.2022 Very relevant comments from a Southern Highlands local: Aussie billionaire investor warns of 'devastating economic collapse' By Charlotte Grieve The... chairman of $100 billion investment house Magellan Financial Group, Hamish Douglass, has warned of a near total shutdown of the world economy over the next two to six months, calling on governments to increase stimulus packages while taking emergency measures to avoid a depression. In a note to clients, Mr Douglass said the impact of the deadly coronavirus was a "fast-moving and fluid" situation as Australia's dollar plummets below 60 cents and the ASX continues to fall, having lost more than $665 billion in value so far over the past four weeks. Mr Douglass said the potential financial and social consequences are "very concerning" and that for many small businesses and those that have high financial leverage, the crisis "could prove fatal". "Only governments can prevent these businesses from failing," he said. "The shape of the economic recovery will depend upon the scale, timeliness and effectiveness of actions taken by governments and central banks to help businesses to survive and keep people employed over the next two to six months," Mr Douglass said. "The shape of the economic recovery will depend upon the scale, timeliness and effectiveness of actions taken by governments and central banks to help businesses to survive and keep people employed over the next two to six months," Mr Douglass said.

03.01.2022 H.E.L.P.? No, NRMA has totally lost it’s way !!! At last weeks NRMA AGM in Tamworth just 30 members attended and heard about next years fabulous Centenary Travelling Road Show, which will cost tens of millions and how the business was going so well esp with its coastal holiday parks and charging stations ... When I asked what NRMA was doing for local members such as small farmers needing H.E.L.P. in this region of 270,000 members [15,000 in Tamworth alone..] Fiona SImson..., local Director, NRMA vice chair and President of NSW Farmers Association trotted out some more puff about rural tourism and building big things on highways. I asked if the NRMA was working with the totally farmer involved CWA [NO]; thinking about sending distressed farmers on skid row to a holiday park break [via CWA etc, NO] or ... donating farm drinking water [via CWA etc] = NO. I pointed out even Tamworth is on 165L per day.... Fiona should resign. And then there are the fires ... and mental health. N.O.P.E. So much for the Mutual HELPing others. The Chair Tim Trumper earns $230k plus committees. The role used to be essentially an honorary one [like Councils still are] - I have attended NRMA AGMS since 1986 and am so disgusted and embarrassed. NO doubt the PR spinners now will come out - Good! I’m up for it.

01.01.2022 Following some earlier posts on this here is today's media release. I'm posting this for information [ie not for debate] as we are moving in the right direction..., and I applaud Council & Staff for that. The quantity being used now is very small, and the aim is to eliminate that. And yes, we are using steam in CBD's etc but there are constraints on how effective that is on a time interval basis. Council weeds out glyphosate use With the use of glyphosate-based products coming under greater scrutiny, Wingecarribee Shire Council is set to conduct its own trials into weed control alternatives. Council’s Manager of Open Spaces, Recreation and Building Maintenance, Greg Bray said ongoing trials included non-chemical based alternatives. We’re keeping an open mind and to date we’ve investigated products that use vinegar, acetic acid, pine and clove oil as their key ingredient, he said. However the reality remains that while more organic products are slowly coming onto the market, many of them are still not as effective as traditional chemical herbicides. This also means that while we’re continuing to look at other options, we haven’t completely eliminated the use of glyphosate-based products at this point in time, Mr Bray said. Often associated with the herbicide ‘Roundup’, glyphosate has been used for more than 40 years in Australia and can be found in more than 500 products nation-wide. The use of glyphosate is registered and regulated for use in Australia by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA). In 2016 the APVMA approved products containing glyphosate and concluded the product was safe to use, provided they are done so as per the label instructions. Based on the APVMA’s recommendation Council continues to use glyphosate-based products, albeit in limited quantities, and only by staff trained in its proper use, Mr Bray said. However when we do use the product we also take additional precautions including assessing the current weather conditions and erecting appropriate signage. Although the APVMA has found no grounds to reconsider the use of glyphosate, Council understands that some residents continue to hold concerns over its use, added Mr Bray. With this in mind we’re committed to continuing our investigations into natural or non-chemical based weed control alternatives and at the same time reducing our reliance on any products containing glyphosate. For more information regarding the use of glyphosate, visit the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority website at www.apvma.gov.au. END