Councillor Terry Perram

Post election

2008-09-28T16:23:00.003+10:00

Thanks to all of my supporters and helpers. With your assistance our team was successful in gaining enough votes for one Councillor to be elected. I have been re-elected to Council for another four years and will get down to work.

As you may have read in the press, I do not plan to contest the mayor election next week. I have been talking with other Councillors to try to bring about change of leadership. We will know after the first Council meeting on 30 September.

Bicycle parking

2008-08-31T22:09:00.006+10:00

While I am a cyclist, I don't consider myself an expert on cycling or cycling infrastructure. However it seems many designers believe that because they can ride a bike, they have sufficient knowledge to design best practice cycling facilities.

Take for example the new station upgrade at Eastwood. RailCorp has installed two bike racks on the eastern side of the station. Very commendable. They have used one of the better types of rack, but in both cases the racks are installed hard up against a wall, meaning that bikes can only be inserted from one side. For these "Cora" racks to hold their full complement of bikes they need to be accessible from both sides, so that alternate bikes do not clash in the peddle and handlebar areas. Council is to request RailCorp to reposition the racks slightly to enable optimum use.

Eventually we will get the message across that professional advice should be obtained when cycling facilities are to be incorporated in major developments.

Shopping Centre Presentation

2008-08-31T21:22:00.005+10:00

A number of residents have complained about the deteriorating appearance of our shopping centres, Eastwood in particular. Some people find it difficult to speak their mind on this matter because they fear being labelled racist. They should not have that fear because the concerns are legitimate and should be aired.

There are three issues:

the unkempt nature of some shopfronts;
the use of non-English signs without translation; and
the cleanliness of the streets and public spaces.

Here is what Council is doing. Street cleanliness has been addressed by more frequent street cleaning, with particular emphasis on weekends. To deal with overflowing litter bins, they are now emptied on Saturdays and Sundays. Furthermore, in October this year existing bins will be replaced with larger bins, currently on order.

Council already has a policy of requiring any new commercial premises wishing to display a non-English sign to display the same message in English using script no smaller than the non-English script. This is a requirement in the Ryde development control plan (DCP) and for some years has been part of any development consent issued for a commercial premises. The principle behind this is sound. We are trying to build a multicultural community where people who may have come from any part of the world feel included. Language should never be used in a manner that excludes people.

In my opinion Council staff have been tardy in enforcing signage requirements. There do not appear to have been any systematic checks of the shopping centre. I believe that had new commercial premises been given a passing inspection from the street for the first few months after opening, this signage issue would not have arisen.

The final issue is the tidiness of shop fronts. Council has no authority here and has to seek cooperation from shopkeepers. I believe that in Eastwood, Council can work with the two chambers of commerce to develop a "Pride in Eastwood" campaign to be marketed to shopkeepers. When I was Mayor in 2005 I had a prototype brochure prepared for distribution to shopkeepers through the chambers of commerce advising them of the things that they could do to improve the appearance of our shopping centre. The mayor election then intervened and was tied in September 2005 and again in 2006. I lost the draw out of the hat both times. My replacement did nothing about this problem, hence it remains unaddressed and the source of ongoing complaints from residents. I am happy to take up the matter again, but we need a mayor who is prepared to give it his/her support.

Shopping trolleys

2008-08-31T21:01:00.003+10:00

There is a continuing problem, particularly in the Marsfield area, of shopping trolleys being used to transport items, usually purchases, from shopping areas to residential accommodation and then being abandoned on the footpath. The trolleys are eventually collected by a patrol that roams the streets every few days. Residents are particularly unhappy that trolleys are being used in this manner and left to litter the streets. Sometimes vandals take them for joy rides or dump them down the creek.

The difficulty is that there is little Council can do about this problem. Some years ago we sought the cooperation of supermarkets to introduce a system to encourage trolleys to be kept on the premises, to no avail. They did agree to a hotline number that can be used by anyone to report an abandoned trolley for quick collection.

I suppose it is a change in culture. When Marsfield was developed as a residential area the car was king. Shopping trolleys were meant to be used to transport purchases from the supermarket to the car park for loading into a car. The concept of taking a trolley off the premises was never contemplated. Now we have an increasing number of overseas students occupying share houses, very few of whom drive or have access to a car. Consequently they have taken advantage of the shopping trolley to bring their groceries/books/other goods home. I happened upon the students in the photo who agreed to be photographed.

I have learnt that Woolworths at Marsfield has an application before Council for some minor building modifications. I have asked that the application be brought to a Council meeting for resolution and that Woolworths be notified that we will be seeking a commitment to introducing a coin system for trolleys to discourage abandonment. The students may still take them home, but they will bring them back the next day. Let's see what happens next.

Action this day

2008-08-31T20:48:00.005+10:00

A short while ago I photographed a bus stop that I said illustrated the need for Council to develop a program for upgrading well-used bus stops (see post 14 August). About a week later I was doorknocking near to where the photo was taken and an elderly lady told me that some years ago she and a neighbour had approached Council resulting in the seat being put there. However, she said in wet weather the surface was so slippery that they couldn't use the seat and had to stand on the road.

I passed this on to Council staff and they agreed that as a footpaving contractor was working in the area they would arrange for a slab to be laid. Well, there it is. I received a lovely "thank you" card from the lady.

East - West Axis

2008-08-19T12:31:00.007+10:00

By chance when doorknocking on a Saturday afternoon I happened to see the two new Top Ryder buses together outside Ryde hospital. This must be an unusual event because they travel around the loop in opposite directions and probably pass on the road. Council introduced this free bus service last month primarily aimed at the elderly and handicapped. By all accounts it has been very well received. The buses were provided by Top Ryde shopping centre and Council fitted them out for wheelchair access. Council operates the service using a contractor.

However, the new service draws attention to a major issue in service delivery. The bus route follows a path essentially parallel to the Parramatta River taking in Gladesville, Putney, Ryde, Meadowbank, West Ryde and the hospital. While the bus is a great service for the areas serviced, it reinforces what I have described as the East-West Axis. There is a vast area to the north, with about half of the City's population, that remains unserviced. I am acutely aware of the plight of people living in the East Ryde, North Ryde and Marsfield areas because I spent all of my teenage years living in North Ryde. North-south transport links in the City of Ryde are very poor. I have encouraged Councillors to be vigilant that Council staff, who may not see the problem, do not focus their attention upon the East-West Axis, leaving people in other areas with poor access to Council services.

When the time comes to review the success of the bus service, if it is to continue, Council must commit to extend it into the northern part of the City to help overcome the potential isolation of people living in that area.

Parking Infringements

2008-08-19T09:39:00.004+10:00

In over a month of weekend doorknocking residents have tended to raise minor local concerns, with very few common grievances. One matter that has come up several times is the perceived unfairness of Council rangers in issuing parking fines.

People accept that if they have overstayed in a timed parking zone they may return to their car and find a ticket. That's life. They also accept that there should be zero tolerance around schools to maintain safety for children. What is upsetting is to receive a ticket in the mail after having been photographed while momentarily stopped. One resident was photographed picking up a passenger in a bus zone, with no bus in sight. Another was photographed while waiting on the road for a car to depart from a parking space. These seem to be everyday occurrences and people feel that they have been unfairly treated.

I think the parking enforcement practices should be reviewed. Do our rangers ever tell people to move on, or issue a caution rather than a fine as provided in the code? It is becoming increasingly difficult to pick up or drop off passengers anywhere in our commercial centres if you don't intend to park the car. The preponderance of "no stopping" rather than "no parking" has reduced the available drop off zones. This is crazy! Bus zones, postal zones and disabled parking spaces should be available for a quick drop off or pick up provided the intended users are not inconvenienced. If the ranger observes that a vehicle is waiting or standing in these places or a bus etc comes along, he/she can then take the photo and issue the fine. Otherwise the action is of no consequence and the need for a penalty is questionable.

After the election I will move for a review of our parking enforcement practices to try make them more realistic and fair. This will give residents some comfort that Council is primarily concerned with safety and efficient use of parking resources rather than just revenue raising.

Bus stops

2008-08-14T11:46:00.006+10:00

In my travels letterboxing earlier this month I noticed the poor state of infrastructure at many well-used bus stops in Ryde. The hierarchy of infrastructure goes from nothing, to concrete slab, to concrete slab plus seat, to concrete slab plus bus shelter. A number of bus stops appear little used and hence "nothing", meaning a grassy surface, is probably all that is needed. However, there are a number of locations where I observed school students and commuters standing in wet and sometimes muddy conditions.

I think we need a survey of bus facilities in Ryde and a program of progressive improvement, without going overboard and concreting every bus stop. I think the fact that the grass is worn away in an otherwise well-maintained nature strip is an indication of need.

Bushland maintenance

2008-08-14T11:24:00.006+10:00

In the last few weeks a number of residents have contacted me regarding weed invasion from Council parks into private property, notably from Outlook Park and Darvall Park. Many years ago when I first became a Councillor there was little or no co-ordinated bush regeneration in Ryde and residents simply put up with neighbouring parkland overgrown with weeds. Then, partly due to my efforts, increased funding was applied to bush regeneration work resulting in a marked improvement to parkland areas.

In many cases this early work was more landscaping than bush regeneration, particularly around the periphery of parks where weed infestation was at its most intense. Weeds were cleared and replaced with indigenous plantings. Residents have become accustomed to the enhanced bushland setting.

However the focus seems to have changed somewhat with more doctrinaire bush regeneration principles now being applied. The focus seems to be on smaller areas with some of the earlier improvements being lost due to lack of maintenance. We are overdue for a discussion of objectives and methods in our bushland parks. The photo shows an orange tree in a resident's yard almost overgrown with invading lantana from the adjoining park.

Star or delta

2008-08-09T18:10:00.006+10:00

At the intersection of two streets there is sometimes a splayed corner where the corner property has a diagonal section of fence fronting the intersection. There are two techniques sometimes used to fit a footpath to this situation rather than just have a 90 degree corner that pedestrians may not follow.

The first photo shows a "star" arrangement which is cheaper because it uses less concrete, but it requires pedestrians to deviate from the direct walking route if they are going straight ahead. This was a poor choice for the intersection of Epping Road and Balaclava Road where there is a large splay and a high pedestrian volume heading towards Macquarie University. This location needs attention.

The second photo shows a small "delta" arrangement which covers all possible movement choices. It was a bit of an extravagence to be installed in a cull de sac, but was probably built by the property developer as this is a relatively recent estate. The delta arrangement would probably have been better used at the intersection in the first photo.

Bloopers

2008-08-09T17:58:00.005+10:00

With all that walking to deliver brochures you notice the condition of footpaths. Some of the discoveries will appear in the next few posts. Here are a couple of bloopers. Who authorised this!

The first photo shows a recently installed "pram ramp", where a small layback is placed in the kerb to make it easy for prams, strollers, wheelchairs etc to move from the road to the footpath. Why would you do this here where it just leads to steps?

The second photo shows the handiwork of a very obedient foreman or contractor. He was told to install a footpath to the end of the street so that is just what he did - right up to the wire fence of the golf course, beyond any possible walking destination. A walker would know they have come to the end of the footpath when his nose hits the fence!

Elections Approach

2008-08-06T21:20:00.003+10:00

I have been spending the last few weeks distributing community newsletters to all 13,000 letterboxes in West Ward. One more session of about 2.5 hours will complete the ward. I like to do all of this first distribution myself because it provides an opportunity to visit every street and see the condition of roads, footpaths and parks.

The newsletter is not very flashy, just a single colour A4 page printed both sides. One of my fellow Councillors has outdone me with a full colour brochure. A number of emails and phone calls have resulted, proving that at least some people read the newsletter. In some cases readers have a grievance with the Council and they just want a person they can email to explain the problem. With the assistance of Council staff I have been able to solve a number of issues to date.

I think most people appreciate receiving the newsletter and the feedback gives me a sense that I am achieving something for the community.

Footpath dining

2008-07-21T11:06:00.004+10:00

I was in Melbourne last week and noticed the method in use to mark the area of a footpath approved for outdoor dining. Small disks are inlaid or stuck to the paving every metre or so in a line, delineating the approved area.

We have had some problems with footpath dining in the City of Ryde where tables and chairs have encroached onto the passageway interfering with pedestrian progress. If the problem continues the Melbourne method may be worth a try.

New section of cycleway

2008-07-06T18:19:00.002+10:00

Today I visited Quarry Road to see a newly completed section of cycleway. This wide concrete path on the nature strip became necessary because Sydney Water refused to allow the path to be constructed through its land between Quarry Road and North Road. The project also included traffic changes to Heath Street, which is now left in only from Quarry Road.

Jim Walsh Park

2008-07-05T11:00:00.006+10:00

Last week I walked into Jim Walsh Park to see how the facilities have weathered since the last upgrade, which occurred some 10 years ago. At the time it was hailed as an excellent project, creating a very popular passive recreation area, well attended by families every weekend.

While the grass was nicely mowed and people were having fun, I was somewhat disappointed to see graffiti on the toilet block and the door damaged to the extent that it would not open. The very small area of bushland along the creek showed emergence of a number of weed species. At this stage they have not progressed far and it would only take about an hour or two to remove them. But it shows that Council's maintenance work is focused on grass cutting while ignoring the bushland areas.

I have placed a motion on the Council business paper for the next meeting requesting that Council undertake maintenance at Jim Walsh Park to rectify these problems. Just about all of the shrub layer in the photo is weeds.

Sad goodbye to an old church

2008-07-05T10:47:00.003+10:00

The St Andrews church on the corner of Rutledge and Trelawney streets Eastwood was demolished over the last two weeks. The windows and organ were salvaged for use in the new Uniting Church being constructed in Lakeside Road. Sadly there is no room for the old steeple which was lifted off the roof and placed to the side of the property, pending removal.

We can only hope that there is a parish somewhere that can use the steeple because it would be a shame to see the craftsmanship turned into scrap metal.

I checked back on the voting record for the approval to demolish, issued in 2003, confirming that I had voted against granting approval. It was a close vote in Council. At the time the reason for opposing demolition was that there was no development proposal before Council for re-use of the property. I feared that the site would remain as a vacant allotment for an indefinite period. There is still no development proposal before Council for this site, so we will now see how long it remains vacant.

Department of Housing development

2008-07-02T17:44:00.006+10:00

I am receiving correspondecne from residents of Warren Street, Ryde about a proposal by the Department of Housing to demolish four houses in a row and replace them with 17 one and two storey units. The units are intended for people who are disabled or aged over 55. Hey that's me! (over 55 I mean). There is a State Planning Policy that overrides Council codes allowing this type of development to be approved.

Issues raised in the correspondence include:

the proposal is not consistent with the local area which contains only low density dwellings;
only 5 parking spaces are provided for the 17 units which is substantially less than Council codes would require if they applied to the development;
the area has poor infrastructure, with no footpaths for wheelchair-bound residents;
it is over 1 km to the nearest shops, which would make things difficult for disabled people without a car.

We shall have to await the assessment report from Council staff.

Quagmire at the netball

2008-07-01T15:11:00.005+10:00

Recently I visited the Meadowbank netball courts on a Saturday when games were in progress. The normal pedestrian access from the west is via a pathway from Lancaster Avenue and then across the stormwater channel and through a small break in the fence at the western side of the courts.

This route was temporarily fenced off because of some nearby works, but just as well! When I looked closely at the standard of this much used pedestrian route it was a quagmire following a week of rain.

I have asked Council staff if a small patch of concrete paving can be placed at the squeeze point to prevent these conditions developing again.

New cycleway construction

2008-06-29T11:01:00.010+10:00

June is the month when cycleway projects are built. For some reason Council staff seem to require all year to design cycleways so they are built at the very end of the financial year.

Here is a photo of the partly completed works in Waterloo Road just east of Herring Road, leading to Macquarie Uni. I will add some photos of others in coming days.

Graham Avenue footpath

2008-06-29T10:47:00.006+10:00

A resident called me last week requesting that a short section of footpath be installed in Graham Avenue across the frontage of Jim Walsh Park. Council is currently installing kerb and gutter at this location and it would seem sensible to complete the footpath at the same time.

The location definitely needs a footpath. It is a missing link in the walking route from Wishart Street/Norma Avenue and feeder streets to Welby Street, which is the obvious walking route to Eastwood for a large number of residents. I visited the location yesterday, took some photographs and spoke to nearby residents.

Council staff acknowledge that a footpath is warranted and will present the matter for Council consideration in the September budgetary review.

Living next door to shops

2008-06-27T16:29:00.002+10:00

A resident recently contacted me about Council notification procedures for people living next door to commercial premises. The resident lives at the interface between a residential area and a local shopping centre. He told me the shop next door was previously a computer repair business which caused no problem. Then without any warning the shop was converted to a catering business.

The catering business operates for longer hours (noise plus vehicle movements), has refrigeration equipment (24-hour noise) and on-site food preparation (odour). The resident has had to complain to Council a number of times about the impact of the business and wonders why he was never given a chance to comment before approval was given. Good question!

My inquiries revealed that Council's policy does not provide for neighbours to be notified when a business changes use. Consequently I submitted the following motion to Council at the meeting on 24 June which was carried unanimously:

(a) That where Council receives a development application for a premises in a business zone, including a change of use application, and the immediately adjoining premises is residential, the application be notified to the owner and occupant of the adjoining residence and any submission received be taken into account in assessing the application.
(b) That Council’s DCP be amended to formally incorporate this change at the next available opportunity.

Terrys Creek Water Pollution

2008-06-26T10:47:00.004+10:00

There have been a number of pollution incidents in Terrys Creek over recent years, apparently emanating from the former brickworks site in the upper catchment. The former brickpit has been the subject of a major land remediation project to prepare it for housing development under the watch of Parramatta Council. When Ryde Council informed Parramatta of the pollution incidents Parramatta belatedly requested the developer to provide a water management plan aimed at preventing polluted runoff from this site.

The management plan has now been received but Parramatta refuses to allow Ryde Council or Ryde residents to see it. Why would we want to see it? Because Parramatta controls only a small portion of the upper catchment, the rest of the creek is in the City of Ryde. Just a few hundred metres from the brickpit the creek flows into Ryde Council's area and directly through Eastwood shopping centre where any pollution is immediately visible. Terrys Creek is the longest creek in the City of Ryde and a major tributary of the Lane Cove River.

Parramatta has told Ryde that the document would be 'considered for release' if Ryde makes a freedom of information request. How insulting!

This is just another example of why Parramatta Council should not control land within the Lane Cove River catchment. Parramatta’s focus is on the Parramatta CBD and the Parramatta River valley. Ryde and Hornsby Councils adequately manage the greater part of the Terrys Creek catchment without major incident. Terrys Creek would be the winner if it didn’t have this disinterested land manager squatting in its headwaters.

PS: Council staff subsequently managed to get a copy of the management plan by going directly to the site operator. No thanks to Parramatta!

Darvall Road traffic problems

2008-06-25T11:00:00.003+10:00

I attended a meeting with residents of Darvall Road on 14 June to hear of the concerns with speeding traffic in this street between Rutledge Street and Victoria Road. Similar concerns a few years ago with the adjacent section of this road to the north led to installation of two roundabouts and double centreline marking.

Last April I presented a petition to Council from residents of the street. The matter was referred to the Traffic Committee in May and two residents were present to address the committee. As a result of that Council is to install traffic/speed counters at several locations in Darvall Road to understand the magnitude of the problem and assist with developing solutions. At the present time however there are barricades narrowing the road near a recent landslip and Energy Australia has also narrowed the road while cables are being installed. The counters should be delayed until these problems are rectified.

Residents have noted a number of locations where improvements such as roundabouts should be considered. Other matters raised include:

speed and corner cutting in side streets connecting with Darvall Road;
avoiding solutions that just transfer the problem to Brush Road;
larger signs proclaiming the 3 tonne load limit;
completion of missing footpath segments.

The matter will go back to the Traffic Committee in July for consideration.

Denistone Tennis Courts

2008-06-22T11:43:00.004+10:00

I was approached by a resident who was concerned about a change in use of the local community tennis courts, located close to his residence. For many years the resident had lived beside the courts accepting the minor inconvenience from tennis games during daylight hours. However, in recent years the courts have been run as a coaching business with coaching continuing through to dark. Coaching can become annoying with many students on the court at the same time with shouted instructions.

As a result of resident submissions Council had offered a new lease to the operator with reduced hours to give residents some relief from coaching noise, but the operator would not sign the new lease and was continuing to operate as before. The matter came before Council last week and after hearing submissions from residents a compromise was reached. The tennis courts could continue to operate until dark for normal games, but coaching is required to stop at specified earlier times. The tennis association president and the coach were present and both accepted the compromise. Good result? Maybe. Lets see how it works over time.

Footpath woes

2008-06-22T11:29:00.004+10:00

There is a section of footpath adjacent to Eastwood croquet club that collects water every time it rains. In an attempt to stay dry pedestrians step on the adjacent grass which quickly becomes muddy. Making things worse, this location is only about 150 mtres from the entrance to eastwood station, so it is very heavily used. I have drawn the matter to the attention of Council staff and received an assurance that the problem will be fixed in the near future.

21 Years

2008-06-22T11:22:00.002+10:00

A few things have happened in the last month. Firstly an award to Yours Truly for suffering 21 years as a Ryde Councillor. It has been a pleasure and priviledge to represent local residents over this period and with your support I will continue to serve.

West Ryde Cycleway

2008-05-11T16:51:00.003+10:00

Recently Council accepted my motion that action be commenced to obtain agreement with RailCorp to design and construct the "railtrail" cycleway between West Ryde and Meadowbank rail stations. This pathway was proposed by the State Governments Bike Plan 2010, but work never commenced owing to State budgetary restrictions. Now that the CRI development (commercial/residential high rise) has been approved for RailCorp land adjoining west Ryde station, the opportunity has arisen to resurrect the rail trail project.

The CRI development approval requires the developer to construct the section of the rail trail passing through the development site. This will be several hundred metres long. My motion requires agreement to be negotiated for the adjoining section to be built. This is an extremely important connection because it includes a lightweight single span bridge across Victoria Road located between the rail bridge and the Sydney Water pipelines. A car-free crossing of Victoria Road will be a major safety improvement.

I believe this is the most beneficial cycle link that can be provided in Ryde at the present time.

Turning a house into student accommodation

2008-05-11T16:28:00.003+10:00

Today I received a letter from a constituent complaining about activities in the adjoining house. Apparently an investor has purchased the house and then installed internal partitions (without Council approval) to convert it into crammed lodgings for a large number of overseas students. The matters complained of include:

The standard rubbish bin is totally inadequate. It is always overflowing and there is more rubbish piled up around the side of the house even after collection night.
The gate to the pool is often left wide open in a street where there are young children.
Shopping trolleys are continually left outside the front of the house.
There is a noisy party thrown once a week.
As there is no “living” space in the house anymore. The occupants congregate on the front veranda, laughing and talking loudly until all hours.
There has also been an increase in traffic and cars obstructing driveways.

This complaint is not uncommon within a kilometre or two of the university. Overseas students would have little understanding of the limits to acceptable behaviour when living in a house on a quarter acre block in suburban Sydney. Following complaints from the resident Council has issued an order for the works (partitions) to be demolished in 30 days which the owner appears to be ignoring. The resident wants Council to be more forthright and make things happen.

Unfortunately the State Government has not given Councils the power to direct the owner or occupants to do anything. If the written "order" is not complied with then the long process of prosecution through the Court has to commence. Even if the Council is successful the judge is likely to be understanding of the plight of the students and give a fairly long period for compliance, at least until after exams.

I sympathise with the plight of the complainant and have urged Council staff to take all reasonable steps to bring this problem to an end.

Bushland tracks

2008-03-14T11:02:00.004+11:00

A constituent recently asked me what program Ryde Council has in place for maintaining bushland tracks in Ryde. I brought the matter up at the Bushland and Environs Advisory Committee to learn that we had not plotted all of our existing tracks and did not undertake systematic maintenance. Consequently I proposed the following motion to Council which was adopted as a Council resolution:

"That the General Manager report to Council on developing a strategy to manage bushland walking tracks in the City of Ryde. The strategy should include:
· mapping the location of all existing bushland tracks on Council land in the City;
· defining varying standards of construction and presentation for tracks used for different purposes;
· categorising existing tracks into the standards to reflect desired use and presentation;
· preparing a costed program to upgrade existing tracks over time to meet the identified standard and to close unwanted tracks, as appropriate;
· presenting a budget for a reasonable maintenance regime to prevent tracks falling into disrepair."

We will await the report and then determine what funding is required to implement a reasonable program.

Saturday tree maintenance

2008-03-10T11:17:00.004+11:00

A constituent recently asked me why Ryde Council staff were undertaking maintenance to street trees, seemingly non-urgent work, on a Saturday morning. The response that I have received from management is that parks and gardens staff have been almost fully occupied over the summer period with mowing, trying to keep up with the exceptional growth during the wet summer. Other minor works resulting from ratepayer requests such as rectifying street tree vandalism are being undertaken on Saturdays to ensure a satisfactory response time.

In short, we can't interrupt the heavy mowing schedule or our sportsfields and playgounds would suffer, so to respond to resident requests in a reasonable time we have to attend to other tasks on Saturdays.

Local Government elections

2008-02-27T14:21:00.001+11:00

The date for the local government elections has been brought forward a fortnight to 13 September 2008.

Lakeside Road parking

2008-02-24T18:03:00.011+11:00

Council is considering a proposal to alter the parking arrangement in Lakeside Road Eastwood from angle parking to parallel parking. After exhaustively consulting affected residents (four times over about three years) and receiving the same response each time, Council staff recommended that angle parking remain (Option 2), with improvements such as sealing to prevent gravel washing into the adjacent Eastwood Park and stoppers so that cars would not bump the grandstand when they park.

None of the affected residents want Option 1, which changes the parking arrangement to parallel parking. Despite this and despite the fact that no-one in the community has asked for the parking arrangement to be changed, one councillor has been driving this change as a personal project.

The reasons for supporting Option 2 in my view are:

The affected local residents have requested that the current arrangement be retained
No-one in the community has asked for Option 1
Council staff have recommended Option 2
The parking is untimed commuter parking, so it is accessed only twice per day (morning and night) and does not generate significant pedestrian traffic, so there is no need for a footpath as provided in Option 1. All other commuter parking near the railway is 90 degree with no footpath behind
if Option 1 is adopted parking places will be lost or relocated further away at the expense of parkland
On Saturdays the loss of convenient parking will be felt by sporting users of the park
On Sundays and evenings the loss of convenient parking will be felt by the nearby Uniting Church congregation, some of whom are elderly residents.

Councillors are elected to represent the views of the community not to zealously push pet projects that are opposed by locals and supported by no-one. This bullying behaviour by one of my fellow councillors must be opposed.

Back again

2008-02-24T17:53:00.004+11:00

Back again after a long break from blogging. Just before Christmas 2007 I was hit by a car while cycling. Injuries were fairly minor compared to what could have happened, but full recovery has been prolonged and been the main focus for the last eight weeks. Almost there. Ankle ligaments are still not fully repaired, but good enough to walk, cycle and now run (carefully). The real test will come in early March when bushwalking in Tassie. A couple of trial walks with pack have been OK provided care is taken with foot placement.

Granny Smith Festival

2007-10-22T10:03:00.000+10:00

The Granny Smith festival was another success this year. The day started off cloudy and cool but by late morning the clouds had parted for a hot afternoon. The political supporters with their balloons added spectacle and numbers to the celebration. That is probably the last time we will see such a strong political presence at the festival.

It's hard to make a meaningful judgement of numbers but I would say that the crowd was similar or slightly greater than previous years. The procession was certainly longer. One gripe is that some commercial organisations that do not have any community affiliation or involvement entered the procession just for the purposes of advertising. I don't believe that is consistent with the intention of the festival.

I will be taking up the matter of litter with Council staff. There was more litter on the streets in early evening than I have ever seen in the 20 year history of the festival. I can understand why they cover up the normal street litter bins to prevent them being used, but I can't understand why the larger mobile replacement bins are not located at exactly the same location. People would see a covered bin, look around for a replacement and not see anything (sight is limited to a few metres in that crowd), and then drop their litter on top of the plastic bin covering, only to fall to the ground.

I believe this unsatisfactory situation has arisen from the desire to introduce waste recycling at major community events. I don't think it is working. You have to draw a line somewhere. Is it of greater community benefit to recover recyclables (however contaminated) from the festival and just accept the problems that have been created?

Smoke-free eating areas

2007-10-22T09:39:00.000+10:00

Have you ever settled down in an outdoor cafe to enjoy a coffee only to discover that smoke fumes are wafting across your table from a smoker at the next table upwind? Have you had to move table to get away from this intrusion on your comfort and enjoyment. Well things are about to change in the City of Ryde.

Council has resolved to require all leases for outdoor eating areas on public land to include a clause requiring the lessee to ensure the eating area remains smoke-free. The measure will be progressively introduced as existing leases come up for renewal. Leases are typically for three years so by the end of that period all outdoor eating areas on public land will be smoke free.

The lessee will be obligated to erect a sign and act immediately if any patron complains of a violation. This is better than a Council-imposed ban that requires patrons to report the matter to Council during working hours and hope that something happens. If the lessee is reluctant to act then the matter can be reported to Council who will inform the lessee that continued violations will result in the lease being cancelled.

Happy dining!

Council amalgamations

2007-10-15T15:43:00.000+10:00

Last week there was a tip on Crikey.com that following the federal election the NSW government would move to force amalgamation of New South Wales councils. Some examples were given in Sydney involving three councils in the St George area, three in the middle west and others in the Parramatta area.

Only a tip, but I have to say it was expected. I believe that separating the State and Local govt elections by 18 months, as occurred over the last two terms of councils has set the scene for this. The last attempt by Tony Kelly as LG Minister in 2003 was botched, at least in metropolitan Sydney. Let's wait and see what happens. Might be out in the cold by Christmas.

Ride to work day

2007-10-11T13:06:00.000+10:00

I will be participating in National Ride to Work day on Wednesday 17 October 2007. I will ride from home in Eastwood to Macquarie Park using the preferred route advertised in the Ryde cycling map.

This is the first national event of its kind after having operated in Melbourne for some years. There will be over 70 regional breakfasts and thousands of workplace breakfasts around Australia. ABC radio is the national radio partner for the event.

The Macquarie Park community breakfast, supported by Ryde Council, will be at the new Optus campus (entry from Paul Street North) and will operate from 7:30 to 9:30 AM. Bakers Delight is the national bakery partner so there should be some yummies available.

If you want to join me register via http://www.ride2work.com.au/

I have not officially registered because I don't actually need to ride to work, having worked from home for the last 12 years. I will be attending to give my support and then riding back home again.

Green Power

2007-10-10T14:04:00.000+10:00

I am not convinced that purchasing green power is the best use of ratepayer's funds. Ryde Council is to spend $22,900 per annum to obtain 10% of the electricity consumed on major Council sites from "green" sources. The problem with this is that there is nothing to show for the expenditure, the community has no knowledge of it and it provides no incentive for Council employees and users of Council facilities to reduce their energy consumption.

Far better than purchasing 10% of electricity from green sources is to reduce energy consumption by 10%. That way not only is there is 10% less carbon dioxide released to the atmosphere but the cost to Council is also reduced by about 10%. A win-win situation. Purchasing green power costs the community more, not less, and does not show leadership to the community about reducing energy consumption.

I fear that support for green power is an easy out for those who want to claim "green" credentials. A balanced response to climate change is not just a matter of throwing money at the problem (other people's). The available council funding to address climate change would be better directed to reducing total energy consumption. Council already has a limited program in this area. More funding would make things happen more quickly.

Flooding at West Ryde

2007-10-06T16:16:00.000+10:00

A correspondent has examined the material available for the new REMO application at West Ryde shopping centre and discovered that the recently completed flood study shows potential issues for the existing development (West Ryde Marketplace), including Council's library, an electricity substation and several shops. I have placed the following notice of motion on Council's business paper for next Tuesday:

"That the General Manager report to Council on the flooding risk to Council’s West Ryde library, the adjoining electricity substation and other property in the West Ryde Marketplace development, in view of information revealed in the recent flood study exhibited for the development application for the REMO development at West Ryde. The report should recommend what Council action, if any, should be taken."

Comments about the REMO development can be dealt with as submissions to that DA, but when there is a suggestion that the existing development is at risk, we need to investigate it. How much of this was known when the Marketplace development was approved a few years ago?

Pathway along the Parramatta River

2007-10-05T14:18:00.000+10:00

Today I received the following request regarding the shared use path along the Parramatta River frontage:

"I use the Parramatta River Valley Cycleway daily, to cycle to work . Its starting to become busy on the section behind Meadowbank Park and the incidence of loose dogs is increasing. I request improved signage clearly instructing people as to their obligations when using multi-use pathways, before I get bowled over."

I agree there is a need for user education wherever we have a shared pathway. I have arranged for this matter to be referred to the Bicycle Advisory Committee for consideration and to be taken into account when designing signage for the "Ryde River Walk". The path mentioned in the request (PVC) is part of the RRW that is to be signposted and officially opened within 12 months, so the request is timely.

Eastwood Centre redevelopment approved

2007-10-04T14:54:00.000+10:00

On Tuesday 2 October, Council approved the commercial redevelopment of the Eastwood Centre. The applicant had originally submitted a development application as part one of a 2-stage process. The first stage was the commercial basement to be followed by a second stage of residential units over the top. However the application was subsequently modified to delete provision for the residential component. The approval given to the applicant is for a commercial-only development of four storeys.

The approved development will have roughly the same floor space as the existing centre but there will be substantially more parking with access from Trelawney St, West Pde and Rutledge St. The consent will not operate until a number of pre-conditions are met, including the applicant reaching agreement with adjoining owners to replace the Trelawney Street ramp with on-ground access.

The applicant indicated that a separate development application will be submitted for commercial plus residential development on the same site. If this second application is also approved the applicant can choose which development to construct.

Shepherds Bay signage

2007-10-04T14:15:00.000+10:00

This week Council considered an application by developers of a new commercial precinct in the Faraday Park complex at Meadowbank to install signage directing traffic to the new shopping precinct. The proposal was to erect signs at six locations, including some nearby locations as well as others on main roads, (Victoria Road and Church Street).

The Meadowbank/West Ryde Progress Association has been struggling for years for Council to take action to reduce traffic in Meadowbank to essential local traffic. Naturally the Association is opposed to signage on the main road system that has the purpose of directing traffic to enter residential areas of Meadowbank. I have supported the Association's position on this. There should be no objection to local signage directing traffic that is already in Meadowbank to the new shopping area. But there is no necessity to divert traffic from the main road system that would not have otherwise entered the residential area.

The purpose of the new village commercial centre is to service the local area which is fast developing with new residential units. If the developers are concerned that there are not enough customers in the local area at this time to make the commercial development profitable, then they should delay its opening until more units are finished. Councillors were elected to represent the people, not commercial interests that have not even moved into the area at this time. The main outlet will be a member of a national supermarket chain. Surely that organisation can carry the start up costs of a new site without Ryde having to sacrifice the amenity of a residential area.

At the Public Facilities and Services Committee meeting on 2 October, I was the only councillor to stand up for the Meadowbank residents. If you agree with the Progress Association, please contact any of the other councillors before the final decision is made on 9 October.

Hi this is Terry

2007-10-04T11:05:00.001+10:00

Welcome to my new blog. I will try to keep you informed of:

matters that come before Council where I take a strong position, for or against;

exhibition of proposals for policy changes or significant developments in the City of Ryde;

coming Council or community events that may be of interest.

I also plan to include a diary of things that come past me that I have a view on or take action on or that I believe will be of interest.

I would like to give you an insider's view to some of the goings on in Council that don't get reported in the local papers.

In addition, this blog gives you an opportunity to give me feedback.

Here is a link to the Ryde Council web site.