Last year, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 was amended to require all planning authorities (including councils) to prepare a Community Participation Plan outlining how they will engage with their respective communities in carrying out their planning functions. The planning functions for Council include: Assessment and determination of Development Applications (DAs); Planning proposals and contributions plans; and Strategic planning statements; and The Community Participation Plan must not relate to any other functions of Moree Plains Shire Council (Council) and must be published by December 2019. Please send all comments and submissions to the attention of the General Manager by 5pm Monday, 11 November: By post:    PO Box 420, Moree NSW 2400 By email:  [email protected] If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Council’s Integrated Planning and Reporting team on 6757 3266.

Voting was open for two weeks and Council is thrilled with the response from the community on the survey which asked residents to vote for their favourite static exercise equipment design from a choice of three. So we are very pleased that this equipment will soon be able to be enjoyed by the community.” Works on the Mehi River Corridor project are being undertaken directly by Council, through its Engineering Services team. “The static exercise equipment will help improve health outcomes for the whole community and can be utilised by residents of all ages and levels of fitness” This project is made possible following a $402,554 investment by NSW Government through the Stronger Country Communities Fund together with a $100,000 contribution by Council.

“We are fortunate to have many great operators in our retail sector who provide an unparalleled range of products and services to our locals, however the drought has invariably taken its toll on their businesses. “The program is being run at zero cost to businesses including participating store setup, advertising and promotional support all of which is covered by Council.” Mrs Pearse explained that the program also provides an opportunity for friends and family from outside of the Shire to support our drought-affected community, with the cards available to be purchased online and shipped to the recipient. “These cards provide a means of bringing a vital injection of potentially new funds into the local economy.” To participate in the program, businesses must have a functioning EFTPOS facility and offer some kind of retail product or service.

Register now – 2019 Garage Sale Trail Convert your Pre-Loved Items into $$$ With less than two weeks to go until Moree’s biggest garage sale, now is the time to declutter your home, garage and shed so you can off-load your pre-loved items at Moree’s Second-Hand Market and Car-Boot Sale which will be held at Jellicoe Park on Sunday 20 October 2019 from 9am to 3pm. Moree Plains Shire Council will be hosting the event to encourage community members to reduce the amount of usable items and equipment being sent to landfill by providing an opportunity for buyers and sellers to meet. Adding to the fun, the Department of Primary Industries will be hosting a free kid’s “Gone Fishing Day ” at the same time and place, with “how to fish” workshops, casting comps and loads of fun activities.

Planned Power Outage We would like to advise the Mungindi Library/Customer Service will be closed all day Tuesday, 15 October due to a planned power outage by Essential Energy. Community members can still gain access to the Library 24/7 via the Big Skies Library website - www.bsl.nsw.gov.au We apologise for any inconvenience caused by the closure.    

Level Three Water Restrictions Mungindi, Weemelah and Boggabilla The ongoing dry conditions and lack of rain forecast in the near future have forced Moree Plains Shire Council to now impose Level Three water restrictions from Tuesday 1 October 2019 in the towns of Mungindi, Weemelah and Boggabilla. “With a dry Spring forecast, Council has decided that Level Three restrictions in these localities would be appropriate to ensure water supply is adequate if no significant rainfall is received over Summer,” explained Moree Plains Shire Council General Manager Lester Rodgers.  “Council recently received formal advice from WaterNSW that there will be no further water releases to supply these towns until adequate rainfall has been received. “Whilst Council has undertaken significant upgrades to water infrastructure in recent times, these severe conditions are unprecedented and appropriate action must be taken.” Council has a Water Supply Schemes Drought Management Plan which prescribes the approach to adopting water restrictions.

Making the Moree Plains Stronger Following the NSW Government’s announcement regarding Round Three of the Stronger Country Communities Fund (SCCF) in July, Council has been working to finalise the projects it will support for this funding, with applications closing this week. The SCCF funds projects and programs that improve the quality of life of people living in regional NSW, with up to $815,000 in funding available for the Moree Plains Shire in this funding round. Read More ...

“The applications were presented to Council’s Urban Advisory Committee at its recent meeting for their determination.” The Urban Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from the community and Councillors with significant experience in heritage matters and also attended by Council’s specialist Heritage Advisor Sue Jackson-Stepowski. The Urban Advisory Committee approved funding for two projects for the current financial year which will see 74 Balo Street (premises recently acquired and renovated by Customised Farm Management in the building formerly occupied by Regional Australia Bank) and the Harvey Norman store at 103 Balo Street repainted with a colour scheme developed in consultation with Council’s Heritage Advisor. “Council looks forward to seeing these historic facades come back to life with help from the Local Heritage Fund.” In addition to these buildings, funding has previously been allocated out of the Local Heritage Fund for 61 Balo Street and 171-173 Balo Street.

2019 My Moree Photography Competition Winners Announced Last Friday night at BAMM, an excited crowd of finalists, together with their friends and family, gathered for the much anticipated announcement of the winners of the 2019 My Moree Photography Competition, with the Grand Jury Prize awarded to Melissa Carrigan for her stunning sunset harvest image. State member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall, Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW, and Moree Plains Shire Council Deputy Mayor Greg Smith were on hand to congratulate the finalists and present the below winners with their prizes: Grand Jury Melissa Carrigan Up & Coming Talent Alliyah Davison Millie Hobday Our Country Ritchie Hair Highly Commended: Danielle Jukes Our History Jeffrey Gross Highly Commended: Judy Jones Iconic Moree Amy Burling Highly Commended: Rachel G Walker People of the Plains Claudia Hiscox Highly Commended: Katie Davidson With almost 600 entries posted on the My Moree Facebook page, the 2019 My Moree Photography Competition was hotly contested. “The My Moree team and Council would like to thank every single person that submitted an entry into the competition and made it the beautiful celebration of life on the Plains that it is.” Council’s Integrated Planning and Reporting Manager Libby Carter congratulated the winners and noted that the overall display demonstrated such diversity of what My Moree means to the community.