DEAR News Of The Area,

UNDERSTANDABLY, some don’t understand which level of government is responsible for what in Coffs Harbour.

The writer of a letter to NOTA (5 July) is among them.

The writer cries shame on City of Coffs Harbour for the state of the median strips on the Pacific Highway through town, and for the graffitied sound walls on the highway turnoff just north of Park Beach Plaza.

Fact is, both the highway and the sound walls are NSW Government assets and the responsibility sits with the State to maintain them.

Why would the writer want the City, and so the ratepayers, to pay to maintain the highway median strips and the sound walls?

Don’t forget, we already pay taxes to the State for this work to be done.

Back in July 2013, Transport for NSW (or what it was then named) and the City came to an agreement where the State paid the City to maintain the median strips.

However, this amount was not indexed, and over time it no longer covered the cost of doing the work on the State’s behalf.

Acting for the ratepayers, the City sought an increased amount to do the State’s job but this was rejected and the arrangement was terminated at the end of the 2022/23 financial year.

Since that time TfNSW has been responsible for the Pacific Highway median strips through Coffs Harbour.

Regards,
Cr Paul AMOS,

Mayor
City of Coffs Harbour.