COFFS Harbour City Council has adopted the Plan of Management for the Coffs Harbour Community Village and Cavanbah Centre, the first of many Crown reserve plans of management to be established.

Council has a statutory obligation under the Crown Lands Management Act and Local Government Act to adopt plans of management for all Crown reserves that are classified as ‘community’ land for which Council has been appointed land manager by 30 June.

Council has been appointed land manager for more than 50 such reserves.

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Five draft Plans of Management encompassing 30 Crown reserves have been prepared by Council for assessment, and another two draft Plans of Management are in the early stages of preparation.

The Plan of Management for the Community Village and Cavanbah Centre was publicly exhibited from February to April 2021, and no public submissions were received by Council.

The purpose of the Plan of Management is to provide a framework for the ongoing use and management of the land.

Cr Sally Townley was pleased this initial plan of management was now available, but felt Council had a “missed opportunity” in not undertaking other plans of management on the Jetty Foreshores and Botanic Gardens first.
“It’s a bit disappointing to me that some of the required plans of management for the really important community reserves such as the Jetty Foreshore and the Botanic Garden have yet to get out of the starting gates, and the initial three years that we were given to do this work will be up in a couple of months,” Cr Townley stated at Council’s ordinary meeting on Thursday 13 May.

“I hope we really put some resources into getting some of those key reserves and plans of management.

“I think it was probably a missed opportunity with Council, especially the Jetty Foreshores.”

Cr Tegan Swan asked Council how it was addressing getting the other plans of management completed.

Council’s Director of Business Services Andrew Beswick said Council had advised Crown Lands that it wished to extend the June 30 deadline for the other plans of management.

“Council officers have written to Crown Lands seeking an extension to the timeline, as have other Councils,” Mr Beswick stated.

“We aren’t going to meet that deadline, Crown Lands is aware of that, but they are also aware that other councils aren’t going to meet that deadline either.”

Councillors unanimously resolved for Council to adopt the Plan of Management for the Community Village and Cavanbah Centre as the Plan of Management applying to Crown reserves known as the ‘Community Village’ reserve and ‘Cavanbah Centre’ reserve.

Both reserves have been and are currently used to provide affordable properties for the provision of health and community services, and it is intended that the reserves will continue to be used for these purposes.

These services include social assistance services, respite and social support groups, a drop-in centre for homeless people, providing essential personal services such as bathrooms, laundry facilities and food, Meals On Wheels, and meeting rooms and venues for hire for events, functions and conferences.

The Cavanbah Centre and Community Village are used daily by members of the community for indoor leisure activities, dance/yoga classes, meetings, functions, conferences, workshops, education courses, and community care services for the aged and disabled.

Council’s adoption of the Draft Plan of Management makes it the first Plan of Management to be adopted by Council under the new Crown Lands Management Act.

By Emma DARBIN