Central Coast Council’s expertise in planning has been recognised at the Local Government NSW Planning Awards announced yesterday.The Council’s Excellence in Planning Recognised at Local Government AwardsCentral Coast Council’s expertise in planning has been recognised at the Local Government NSW Planning Awards announced yesterday.The Planning Awards recognise excellence in planning and development services delivered by individuals and councils.Council Director of Environment and Planning, Mr Scott Cox, received the Outstanding Individual Contribution Award for excellence in leadership recognising his positive impact on planning and development services within Council and innovation in the planning and development space.Mr Cox said he was honoured to accept the award and dedicated it to his team of professional and committed staff within Council.“Since the formation of Central Coast Council in May 2016, we have worked extremely hard to make the most of this opportunity to transform and improve all aspects of the environment and planning business and to deliver faster and better quality planning outcomes for the community and business.”“Our focus has firmly been on customer service priorities, accessibility, consistency and accountability and I believe this has been acknowledged through this award from NSW Local Government,” Mr Cox said.Council Chief Executive Officer, Brian Bell, said Scott is an exceptional leader at Central Coast Council.“Scott leads a high performing team at Council that has determined over 3500 development applications since the merger, equating to over $1.2 billion of overall investment approved to roll out across the coast,” Mr Bell said.“These achievements not only put Central Coast Council at the forefront of delivering for the community but also deliver a high level of staff satisfaction as they are trusted and have the autonomy to perform their roles to the highest standard.“Scott’s dedication to engagement with the development industry has also started the conversation about how Council and the sector can work together to deliver the housing, jobs and infrastructure the Coast needs.“Through leading by example and modelling key organisational behaviours, Scott has significantly impacted his team and is a respected and valued leader within Central Coast Council.”Planning Awards recognise excellence in planning and development services delivered by individuals and councils.Council Director of Environment and Planning, Mr Scott Cox, received the Outstanding Individual Contribution Award for excellence in leadership recognising his positive impact on planning and development services within Council and innovation in the planning and development space.Mr Cox saidCentral Coast Council’s expertise in planning has been recognised at the Local Government NSW Planning Awards announced yesterday.The Planning Awards recognise excellence in planning and development services delivered by individuals and councils.Council Director of Environment and Planning, Mr Scott Cox, received the Outstanding Individual Contribution Award for excellence in leadership recognising his positive impact on planning and development services within Council and innovation in the planning and development space.Mr Cox said he was honoured to accept the award and dedicated it to his team of professional and committed staff within Council.“Since the formation of Central Coast Council in May 2016, we have worked extremely hard to make the most of this opportunity to transform and improve all aspects of the environment and planning business and to deliver faster and better quality planning outcomes for the community and business.”“Our focus has firmly been on customer service priorities, accessibility, consistency and accountability and I believe this has been acknowledged through this award from NSW Local Government,” Mr Cox said.Council Chief Executive Officer, Brian Bell, said Scott is an exceptional leader at Central Coast Council.“Scott leads a high performing team at Council that has determined over 3500 development applications since the merger, equating to over $1.2 billion of overall investment approved to roll out across the coast,” Mr Bell said.“These achievements not only put Central Coast Council at the forefront of delivering for the community but also deliver a high level of staff satisfaction as they are trusted and have the autonomy to perform their roles to the highest standard.“Scott’s dedication to engagement with the development industry has also started the conversation about how Council and the sector can work together to deliver the housing, jobs and infrastructure the Coast needs.“Through leading by example and modelling key organisational behaviours, Scott has significantly impacted his team and is a respected and valued leader within Central Coast Council.” he was honoured to accept the award and dedicated it to his team of professional and committed staff within Council.“Since the formation of Central Coast Council in May 2016, we have worked extremely hard to make the most of this opportunity to transform and improve all aspects of the environment and planning business and to deliver faster and better quality planning outcomes for the community and business.”“Our focus has firmly been on customer service priorities, accessibility, consistency and accountability and I believe this has been acknowledged through this award from NSW Local Government,” Mr Cox said.Council Chief Executive Officer, Brian Bell, said Scott is an exceptional leader at Central Coast Council.“Scott leads a high performing team at Council that has determined over 3500 development applications since the merger, equating to over $1.2 billion of overall investment approved to roll out across the coast,” Mr Bell said.“These achievements not only put Central Coast Council at the forefront of delivering for the community but also deliver a high level of staff satisfaction as they are trusted and have the autonomy to perform their roles to the highest standard.“Scott’s dedication to engagement with the development industry has also started the conversation about how Council and the sector can work together to deliver the housing, jobs and infrastructure the Coast needs.“Through leading by example and modelling key organisational behaviours, Scott has significantly impacted his team and is a respected and valued leader within Central Coast Council.”

A small section of Showground Road, Gosford, will be reduced to single-lane traffic from 8:30pm tonight while Council undertakes essential repairs to a water main.The northbound lane of Showground Road adjacent to Gosford High School, will be closed from the roundabout.Traffic controllers will be on site and traffic diversions will be in place.Council urges motorists to take an alternate route to avoid traffic congestion expected at this intersection.The road is expected to reopen by 6pm Saturday 18 November 2017.Council apologises for any inconvenience.ENDS Media Contact:

MEDIA RELEASECentral Coast Council is inviting residents to clear out unwanted hazardous chemicals from around the home and safely dispose of them for free at the local Chemical CleanOut events this March.Community members can safely drop off unused, out-of-date or unwanted household chemicals for free over the first two weekends of March: Saturday 2 March and Sunday 3 March (9am-3.30pm), Kincumber – former Kincumber Waste Management Facility on Cullens Road.

Due to limited public gallery capacity at Council Meeting Chambers and to ensure the safety of the community, attendees wishing to participate in the Public Forum and the Council Meeting will be required to sign-in in person on the day of the meeting.

Residents of Woy Woy and beyond are invited to have their say on three options for a new concept for Pelican Park Woy Woy with construction aiming to be completed before June 2024.Built in 1999, the popular waterfront playspace has reached the end of its design life and was slated to be closed two years ago due to safety concerns.

Central Coast Council is now inviting all interested community members to share their feedback on the revised draft Dogs in Open Space Action Plan (revised draft Plan) until Sunday 1 October 2023.The revised draft Plan has been simplified and refined in response to the extensive community feedback received during the first round of consultation, as well as further technical studies and community workshops on key issues of concern.

Soldiers Beach stairs in front of the Surf Life Saving Club has recently undergone works to enhance access with a new and improved stair extension - and the stairs are now open for use!This is the first of four projects to be completed following $2.44million in funding received from the Australian and NSW Governments as part of the 2021 Community Local Infrastructure Recovery Program to improve access for Soldiers Beach and Jenny Dixon Beach.Council Director of Environment and Planning, Alice Howe said that Council is pleased to have one of the four projects completed and looks forward to the progression of the remaining three.“While the stairs were still safe for the public to use, the funding from the Australian and NSW Governments has allowed us to enhance the integrity and improve beach access with the stair extension,” said Dr Howe.“The stair extension means the community can access the beach after coastal erosion events that decrease the amount of sand at the base of the stairs.

Spring is well and truly in the air and with school holidays looming on the horizon, Central Coast Council has released its much-anticipated program of activities of a fun filled break for all ages.During the school holidays (Monday 25 September – Friday 6 October) a huge selection of activities will be available across the community with the vast majority of these being free or at minimal cost.Activities to boost the imagination – Central Coast libraries will be a whirlwind of activity throughout the holidays with a dazzling range of activities.

Central Coast Council’s 2023-24 Creative Spaces program is now live!The first creative local in the 2023-24 program line-up, who will be occupying the Gallery Container located in the Toukley Village Green, is Sculptor David Hough.David Hough’s sculptures and a variety of his other work has been skilfully curated to showcase his talent and creativity.

Central Coast Council is once again working with community leaders to initiate important conversations around domestic and family violence.The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence campaign runs every year from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day) raising awareness and educating the community on this important issue.The Central Coast consistently has one of the highest number of incidences of family and domestic violence compared to any other local government area*.Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said Council is committed to working with community to solve a range of social and health issues that impact vulnerable people, such as victims of domestic violence.“The health and safety of others is everyone’s business.

MEDIA RELEASECentral Coast Council celebrated International Day of People with Disability on 3 December, and is raising local awareness and understanding of the challenges faced by people with a disability, to help create a more accessible and inclusive region.Recently, Council collaborated with local pottery school Centered Ceramics, that offered people with disabilities the opportunity to learn pottery and ceramics in a mainstream commercial studio, and then exhibit their work in a public gallery.The local business learned how to make their premises and programs more accessible to attract customers with different access needs.

Central Coast Council's ‘Coast Summer Safety’ campaign has returned for the 2024-25 season, providing residents and visitors with essential tips for navigating the busiest time of year.The campaign covers a range of areas, including beach safety, navigating waterways safely, pool safety, keeping pets safe, road safety awareness and emergency preparedness.

MEDIA RELEASE Central Coast Council’s Local Housing Strategy seeks to implement a number of strategies and actions to better manage housing supply across the region.

Central Coast Council is inviting the community to celebrate NAIDOC Week 2024, at an official flag raising ceremony and breakfast BBQ on Monday morning 8 July 2024.NAIDOC Week, held across Australia from 7-14 July, honours the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Now in its ninth year, Central Coast Council’s annual Lakes Festival has established itself as an iconic event, drawing over 20,000 attendees. Spanning 10 days in November, this year’s event was Council’s biggest program yet, proudly showcasing and celebrating the region’s magnificent waterways to locals and travellers alike. Council Director Community and Recreation Services, Melanie Smith said the festival not only brought the community together but also injected an estimated $6.5million into the local economy.“Big events like this are a driving force for our local economy, creating jobs and providing a significant boost to local businesses,” Ms Smith said. Significantly, The Lakes Festival also completed the national Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard with Ecotourism Australia, demonstrating Council’s commitment to sustainability. Council Mayor, Lawrie McKinna acknowledged this significant achievement.“I want to congratulate the effort from community members, local business and our Council staff that went into ensuring this year’s Lakes Festival was a resounding success.”“With over 40 individual events, including kayaking adventures, sand sculpting, yoga by the lake, comedy nights, beach sports, fun run, theatrical performances, arts and crafts, cinema under the stars, live music and more – the festival had something for everyone.“We are grateful to all the organisations and individuals who collaborated with us to deliver a variety of fun and educational activities in 14 different locations across the Central Coast.”Council’s calendar is always packed full of events for all ages and interests.

Central Coast Council celebrated International Day of People with Disability on 3 December, promoting understanding, acceptance and inclusion for people with disabilities in our community.As part of Council’s ongoing commitment to accessibility, we recently partnered with the globally recognised Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program.

Central Coast Council is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Central Coast Youth Week Awards.