One year ago, we congratulated ourselves on becoming incorporated, and having people in place to launch this thing called the KVCCB [Kangaroo Valley Community Consultative Body]. So, what happens next? What happens at one of our meetings? Does anything happen?
Our first meeting was on 25 January 2022 and three of our Ward 1 Councillors attended. Many of us had never met our representatives on Council. Green waste was on the agenda which set Councillor John Wells off on a journey into the bioelectra. We found that if we asked a question, then we’d get an answer.
The committee felt okay with our first foray, and the idea of working groups arose. Al Lockyer suggested a competition to find the worst road in Kangaroo Valley. Sure, Al, run with it. Little did he know. Glenmurray Road won, but only because I didn’t feel that it was above board for me to submit my own road.
In March, all Al’s chickens came home to roost. The Glenmurray decision was premature. All roads would have won. For a couple of days, Kangaroo Valley was in fact isolated from the rest of civilised society. Not as bad as you might think!
But then we became relevant to this community.
We were able to make contacts within Council, Resilience NSW, Transport for NSW, and Regional NSW. All these contacts led to a meeting here at the end of April, where rumour was laid to rest, and that we were in for a longer haul.
Roads have dominated much of the discussion in CCB time and meetings since. Al Lockyer has been diligent and tireless in seeking responses to the community’s questions, and furthering relations with the people making decisions that affect our questions. I know that it hasn’t always been easy, given that both the residents and the various authorities have had differing priorities.
Not happy enough with just roads, Al secretly appointed himself as the Minister for Mobile Black Spots. Not really; he had the committee’s full support. An update on this issue will be forthcoming this evening.
As will another Working Group update, again an Al initiative, on the aesthetic appeal of our dear old Hampden Bridge.
The issue of the missing link has formed another working group. The missing link is the section of pathway that crosses Moss Vale Road around the Catholic Church and proceeds up to the school. Should it not deviate, and proceed past the Anglican Church to the shops, it would be a much less confusing way to the village.
A great win this year is the budgeting by council for $50,000 for design work for a playground between the tennis courts and Moss Vale Road. PLaY KV are to be congratulated for their efforts in pursuing this, and I thank Mr. Andrew Cappie-Wood and his team for their efforts in getting this project to this stage. Acknowledgement must also be given to the support of this project to our Councillors, in particular Mr. John Wells.
We have also seen the formation of a Men’s Shed group in Kangaroo Valley, and in its nascent stages, through Matt Southworth, we were pleased to offer an umbrella support. I believe that they are now their own entity, but I know that Matt will update us on that.
The last working group for mention is that of Indigenous Signage in Kangaroo Valley. This has been put forward by Reconciliation Allies Kangaroo Valley, in an attempt to recognise the indigenous history of the Valley, and to foster relationships with indigenous people from the area, many of whom have ancestral ties here. This has been a long process; however, contacts in the aboriginal community have been made, and these relationships strengthened. It has been an enlightening process, with many more steps to be made. I can say, by way of an update, that RAKV members will be meeting with Council’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee on 6 December to discuss our proposal. I will be part of that group in attendance, so may have an update in January.
Last Thursday I attended a meeting to which all CCBs were invited, in Ulladulla. It was really good to meet members of other CCBs, although the time allowed for that was limited to a truncated morning tea, and then lunch. Much of what Council had to say was road based, which we in KV have heard, but the interesting statistic to emerge is that in the few months since artificial intelligence has been mated with Council’s recycling trucks, 36,000 potholes have been detected. An explanation of the philosophy behind pothole filling vs pothole repair followed.
I feel that an alternate format could be tried for the next one of these, perhaps where the CCB membership is mixed up on the tables, ie not sitting with their own committees, so that discussion of like issues can be had. Naturally Council can also say what they need to, and I am aware that roads have probably never dominated meetings and conversations to the extent they have this year.
Later that day was the final Adaption into Resilience workshop with Darryl Low Choy. We will be meeting again with the Professor and Pazit next year to iron out the final document. My thanks to all who have contributed to the process.
Finally, I would like to pay my utter respect to all members of the committee. Twelve months ago, we really didn’t know each other, and had to sit down and get this thing to work. As I mentioned earlier, climatic events conspired to get us going and working together. Whilst it hasn’t always been smooth sailing, we’ve been able to move on and get on with it. Our differences have in many ways been part of our strength, and I look forward to whatever roles we might play in the CCB in 2023.
Hugh Sinclair
President
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The KvCCB meetings are open to all residents and ratepayers within our CCB area. Meetings are held bimonthly, commencing at 6.30pm, at the Kangaroo Valley Hall, 177 Moss Vale Road, Kangaroo Valley.
Tuesday 31 January
Tuesday 28 March
Tuesday 30 May
Tuesday 25 July
Tuesday 26 September
Tuesday 28 November (including AGM).
Brenda Sambrook
Vice President