Local Government Seeks Election Commitments on Planning

The Local Government and Shires Associations of NSW today released their seventh policy position paper: http://www.lgsa.org.au/resources/documents/2007_state_election_planning_policy_platform_010207.pdf). The Associations are calling for:

·          Repeal of legislation which allows the Minister for Planning to appoint planning administrators or panels to exercise the planning functions of councils;

·          A partnership agreement between State and Local Government with formal protocols which would detail the precise roles and responsibilities of Local and State Government in the  implementation of  metropolitan and regional planning strategies;

·          Resolution of confusing dual approval provisions now required in non-urban areas where landholders must gain council and catchment authority approval for clearing native vegetation. 

The President of the Local Government Association, Cr Genia McCaffery, said Local Government is supportive of State Government initiatives relating to metropolitan and regional strategies. The Regional Organisations of Councils (ROCs) regularly meet with the Department of Planning.

“These strategies will provide the framework for the sustainable management of growth and development in greater Sydney and regional NSW for the next 25 years.

“We are keen to work with the State Government to develop and implement the Metropolitan Strategy, and regional strategies, to ensure that communities expectations are fully taken into account.

“Our Associations would like the government to commit to a genuine partnership. However, these strategies will fail without infrastructure plans and dedicated funding to ensure the plans are delivered.

 “Our communities want the government to remove the threat of appointing a planning administrator or a planning panel except where there is adequate justification,” Cr McCaffery said.

The President of the Shires Association, Cr Col Sullivan OAM, said the Minister for Planning could appoint a planning administrator or panel if he took the view a council’s performance was unsatisfactory because of the manner in which the council had dealt with planning or development matters, the time taken or for any other reason.

“This is a very broad and subjective test which enables the Minister to remove the planning powers from a council without proper justification

 “In addition, we have to resolve the issue of dual consent requirements for clearing native vegetation.

“Since 2005, when the Native Vegetation Act came into force, landowners in urban fringe areas may have to gain approval from the relevant Catchment Management Authority as well as from council.

“We support the objective of bringing to an end widespread land clearing, but this needs to be properly coordinated with councils’ planning powers. Councils that want to must be able to regulate clearing through their local environmental plans.

“We need a workable integration of natural resource conservation measures and that can only be achieved by consultation and agreement with the key stakeholders involved,” Cr Sullivan said.