This week I was alerted via the media to a proposal by the NSW Government to provide Council beach parking permits to renters in the same way they are provided to ratepayers.

In a utopian world we’d have 240,000 parking spots available at our beaches for all our residents and no need for permits or to charge for beachside parking at all.

However, we live in the real world where there are limited spots available and the cost to maintain, clean and staff our beaches and rockpools, and surrounding infrastructure, is increasing in line with the cost to provide all council infrastructure and services.

This idea costs the state government nothing (in fact it gives them a great headline), yet once again Council ratepayers pick up the costs.

I have sought an urgent meeting with the Minister to find out his plans to cover the funds ratepayers will lose, potentially over half a million dollars a year, if this proposal is implemented. I will keep the community updated.

Next week is the first council meeting of the year where we will be considering Council's long term financial sustainability. Ongoing cost shifting from the state government is a key reason we need to be having these discussions.

On a much happier note, a huge congratulations to all our Australia Day award winners. This year’s winners showcase the many incredible ways our locals contribute to our community. From surf lifesaving and emergency service volunteers to an inspiring endurance athlete, and community events and groups raising funds for essential services. All the winners embody the strength and spirit that make the Northern Beaches community so special.

Have a good weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

Happy new year. I hope you all enjoyed the holiday period here on one of the best places on the planet. We had more than 30,000 people ringing in the new year on our shores watching Council's fireworks and tens of thousands of others enjoying our Christmas and summer events.

We have lots planned for the year ahead and I look forward to keeping you informed and involved.

A shout out to the quick work of Council clean up crews on our beaches this week following the discovery of unidentified pollution balls washed up on nine of our southern beaches.

Both Council and the EPA have undertaken testing and we’re hopeful these tests will help the EPA to identify the source of this pollution. This type of issue has affected a number of beaches in NSW in recent months and we want to ensure it’s not the start of a return to the bad old days of beach pollution.

Our crews are continuing to monitor the beaches and encourage residents to get in touch if they see any of the small balls – call Customer Service on 1300 434 434 or EPA Environment Line on 131 555.

On a lighter note, with Australia Day just around the corner we have a number of events you can enjoy leading into and on the day. Check out the Australian Made Markets this Sunday and the outdoor movie, pool parties and a food truck party next week.

Mayor Sue Heins

Transcript

As we near the end of another huge year I would l like to thank all of you who engaged with Council throughout the year.

If you visited one the many libraries or community centres, or said thanks to your waste collector or public place cleaner.

If you played sport on one of the 122 local fields or cooled off at one of the many beaches or pools.  

If your kids had fun at a Council early learning centre or at one of the 219 playgrounds we maintain across the area.  

Perhaps you enjoyed an art exhibition, a show at Glen St Theatre or soaked up the community spirit at one of the many local Council events.

Almost 10,000 of you made a submission on a council project or initiative and over 210,000 contacted our fantastic customer service team to report an issue or seek advice.

It’s been a big year and with a new council elected in October we have big plans ahead.
We can’t wait to continue to work with you, our community, alongside our dedicated staff and volunteers, to map the way forward.

It’s worth saying that this time of year can be a really difficult and lonely time for some. If you can, reach out to your neighbours and colleagues – connection can really help.

If you or someone you know needs support, councils website provides a wealth of information about all types of support services in the local area.

To all, have a very safe and happy Christmas and best wishes for the holiday season. I look forward to seeing you 2025.

Dear Community,

As many of you would be aware, we are well into consultation on how to sustainably fund Council into the future. So why propose a rate increase now and how did it get to this?

The fact is high inflation, natural disasters, the COVID-19 pandemic and shifts in costs to Council from other areas of government have put increasing pressure on our ability to maintain services.

For the last few years, we’ve had a finely balanced budget. But the gap between the high cost of building and delivering services is outstripping income from rates.

We’ve found millions in savings year on year. And we will continue to look to save costs wherever we can. But it’s not enough - skyrocketing costs have left us with a $24 million gap from inflation alone.

And it’s not just us - every NSW council is facing this issue. Two in 3 councils increased rates through a Special Variation over the past 10 years.

In fact, a Parliamentary inquiry into local government funding released just last week found that the whole sector is at risk under the current arrangements.

We know inflation is putting pressure on household budgets - just like at Council.

Any changes are proposed to be phased in over 3 years with the average rate payer in the first year paying between $3.19 and $4.49 extra per week.

I encourage ratepayers to look at the rate options Council is considering and use the online rates calculator to see exactly what your weekly and annual increases phased over 3 years will be under each option.

I look forward to your feedback as your Councillors consider the future funding for the Northern Beaches at a special meeting in late January.

Mayor Sue Heins

The much-anticipated gymnastics Centre of Excellence for the Northern Beaches is a step closer after Manly Warringah Gymnastics Club (MWGC) secured a grant from the Commonwealth Government this week.

This is welcome news and means the Club can now get on with transforming the former North Manly Bowling Club site into a modern, state-of-the-art facility to meet the growing needs of recreational and professional gymnasts for many years to come.

With construction underway across the road for a new golf clubhouse, squash and tennis facilities, North Manly will soon be home to a range of fantastic new recreational facilities, complementing Nolan Reserve’s highly utilised sporting fields.

Our information sessions on the 4 proposed rate options to ensure we can fund your roads, footpaths, pools, libraries, sportsfields and other services into the future are well underway and it's great to see people using the online rates calculator and providing feedback. If you’d like to learn more about the proposals, our team will be at Avalon Woolworths this morning, Berry Reserve Markets next Saturday and hosting an online session next Wednesday evening.

Have you seen the incredible photos and videos from the winners of the Underwater Photography Competition? From Port Jackson sharks to green sea turtles, the incredible colours of the giant cuttlefish to the geometric patterns of sea slugs, you can enjoy this rare glimpse into the world beneath the waves.

And finally, as the end of the year approaches, happy 100th birthday to Royal Far West, celebrating one hundred years of dedication to improving the health and wellbeing of country children and their families. A huge congratulations to all the team.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

Everyone has the right to feel and be safe, and you can play a big part in that. Gender-based violence is a tragic reality that affects many women and children on the Northern Beaches. 

As an executive member of the Northern Beaches Domestic Violence Network, Council is proud to be involved in the United Nations' 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign that started this week. Stand with us and your community by attending one of the workshops and events planned and Walk Against Violence next Friday 6 December.

You may have heard in the news that the construction company building the new Frenchs Forest High has been fined by the EPA for serious environmental pollution that impacted Curl Curl Creek and Manly Dam (Manly Warringah War Memorial Park).

We welcome this news and hope it sends a strong message to other such large companies to properly secure and contain their sites to prevent damage to their neighbours and the environment. Council has stood with the community on this issue and advocated for the EPA to act and hold the construction company to account.

Families looking for a little outdoor fun and activity now have a new playground to head to. Freshwater Beach’s renovated all-accessible playground is bound to be wildly popular with locals and visitors, and complements the recently installed picnic shelters, BBQs, an accessible ramp, and stairs.

This week I had the privilege to attend the renaming of North Steyne Playground to the Jean Hay AM Playground. This playground, set right on Manly beachfront, now honours one of the Northern Beaches longest serving Mayors who also dedicated more than 50 years of service to the people of Manly. 

Have a great weekend
Mayor Sue Heins

Yesterday, I opened the much-anticipated new feature at Manly Warringah War Memorial State Park, the Manly Dam Link Trail. The new 400m boardwalk and viewing decks have made the trail more accessible for everyone, making it easier to move through this amazing park. The new trail is designed to complement the peaceful bushland setting and is sensitive to the existing natural environment. Thank you to everyone involved in bringing this project to life.

This week we launched the community engagement program to seek feedback about options for a special variation to rates. We're committed to making sure everyone has the opportunity to understand what the options mean and how they will impact Council’s ability to deliver services and infrastructure, now and into the future. We know this is a difficult conversation but also one we need to have. With cost increases outpacing income from rates, our long-term financial stability is now at a critical point. I encourage you to learn about the proposed options by visiting the Funding our Future project page, using the online Rates Calculator and giving us your feedback. There are also a number of community pop-up information sessions and webinars coming soon, so please join us to find out more.

In other news, Council is looking for volunteers to help with the Northern Beaches' first Person-Centred Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP) program. Facilitators will help develop practical and effective emergency plans for members of our community who may be vulnerable and need support, ensuring they are prepared with a clear plan when responding to an emergency. If you are interested, you can apply via our website. Applications close 17 January 2025 and training commences in February 2025.

Finally, you may have noticed that Council’s elves have decorated our local town centres and villages across the Beaches with decorations and lights. Starting 11 December, local musicians will also provide festive tunes with 12 Days of Busking. We hope that by bringing festive cheer to our commercial centres, you’ll be keen to spend some time and do your Christmas shopping locally. By doing so you’re helping keep jobs and support our local businesses.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

Earlier this week, Council resolved to start a conversation with the community about the rates we pay to provide local services and infrastructure across the Northern Beaches.

A conversation about the need to raise rates is not something any councillor approaches lightly, however current circumstances mean it’s an important discussion to protect the long-term financial sustainability of our area.

At Council we are not immune to the rising cost of inflation. Costs to maintain, renew and improve our ageing roads, sportsfields, playgrounds, pools, libraries and other community infrastructure are escalating. And the gap between those costs and the income we receive from rates is growing. Since amalgamation Council has saved millions of dollars in efforts to reduce costs and improve productivity but it’s not enough to cover the gap.

The reality is, unless we intervene, our assets will deteriorate and we will need to make the tough decisions to cut services. Or we could choose an option to make real improvements to community infrastructure, enhance our environmental protection programs and ensure we have a reserve to manage future emergencies.

We need your input. Consultation begins next Monday and I ask you to get informed. There will be resources available online and at all our libraries, customer service centres and more to help you understand each of the four options, what it means to you and for our community. Please get along to a face-to-face pop up near you or join an online information session. You can use our rates calculator to get an estimate on each of the proposed options over three years. Take the time to answer the survey and have your say.

And if you’d like to be notified when the consultation is live and get updates on the project along the way, please register to follow the project page.

Mayor Sue Heins

Next Monday we mark Remembrance Day, commemorating the Armistice and acknowledging all those who have suffered or died in wars and armed conflicts across the world. It’s an important opportunity for us all to mark a minute’s silence and think of the sacrifice and commitment of our armed service personnel, past and present. Join a Council service or one of the many being hosted by RSL branches across the area.

A reminder that the first stage of consultation on the Community Strategic Plan closes at the end of next week. We’re asking if the visions and aspirations for the future of our area are still relevant for today. What should our goals be in relation to our environment, local economy and community? We’d love to hear the diverse views of people young and old, from different cultural backgrounds and from across the area. Take the short survey to have your say before 17 November.

As we hurtle towards December, save the date for our popular family Christmas events. With carols, markets and a visit from Santa they are a must on the festive calendar.

This week registrations were also opened for Sun Run 2025, a picturesque 10km or 7km course along the coast from Dee Why to Manly Beach. Over 1000 people have already registered and with the event filling up quickly last year, enter now to avoid disappointment.

Finally, congratulations to our staff for bringing home the Community Impact & Industry Excellence award at the 2024 Parking Industry Awards, recognising Council’s commitment to our ambitious goal of achieving a 30% reduction in vehicle emissions by 2038. More than 20 Electric Vehicle charging stations have been installed across our region, supporting more residents to transition to a more eco-friendly alternative.

And our incredible early learning team must be finding it hard to find the space for all their accolades, winning the Large Community Metropolitan Service Award at the Excellence in Early Childhood Education Awards on Saturday Night, another prestigious recognition for their commitment to local families.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins