How council shares its plans has been highlighted following the Short Point, Merimbula consultation last Thursday afternoon which attracted between 50 and 60 people to the site to discuss issues relating to accessibility and visibility at the much-loved location.

There has been concern about the Short Point plans and their impact on the environment particularly by councillor Mitchell Nadin who has driven much of the current interest in the work.

He said he was a bit shocked by the numbers but believed they spoke volumes.

“It was a really good cross section and I’m proud of everyone for making their voices heard but I couldn’t identify a single person supportive of the current plan in total,” Cr Nadin said.

“Most concerning was that of the two disabled people I spoke to, neither had endorsed the current plan,” he added.

“For instance, keeping in mind the current design is supposed to be an "accessibility plan", it would make a disabled person travel almost 200m of ramps (and another 200 to get back to the car park) to get to a barbecue area. Throw in a toilet break and you have about 800m travelled,” Cr Nadin said of the plans on social media.

“And it was planned to all cost more than $1.2 million,” he said.

Councillor Jo Dodds said she is in the process of developing a flowchart with council staff to better monitor the progress of plans. Cr Dodds had first hand experience of how plans could change without the community knowing when trees were removed during the work on Littleton Gardens, Bega. 

“Once the community had signed off on the plans, staff then discovered several problems with underground water pipes. However they hadn’t realised it was necessary to go back to the community and instead worked around the problems,” Cr Dodds said.

“I was devastated about the way the trees were lost. Consultation is a white hot passionate issue for me,” she added.

Councillor Sharon Tapscott made mention of Action on Imlay at Eden saying she was “disappointed with some of the outcomes” although she added that they had been addressed and structures put in place.

Cr Dodds said that staff were put in the unenviable position of trying to deliver what the community wanted when sometimes the budget wasn’t adequate.

Following a motion in council by Cr Nadin the Short Point plans will return to council for discussion.

“This is an opportunity for us to do better,” he said.

“The general manager said the proper processes were followed and she’s right but if that’s the case and you haven’t got the outcome we wanted then it’s time to look at other opportunities.

How do we get a better cross section of opinion. We have to be willing to change,” Cr Nadin said. 

Council’s general manager, Leanne Barnes said it has been great to see such a high level of interest in council’s planned improvements to the Short Point area.

“Following the site meeting (Thursday, May 18) arranged by council to review the adopted plan with particular attention to the placement of the viewing platform and proposed barbecue facilities, we will summarise the discussion points and include comments specifically relating to those elements,” Ms Barnes said.

“We have already undertaken extensive community consultation around these plans, during 2016 that included site notification signs, an online survey, stakeholder meetings, site ‘drop in sessions’, and draft plans for review and exhibition.

“At every turn we have made amendments based on the feedback of each draft,” Ms Barnes said.

Moving forward we will pay particular notice to delivering:

·         Improved safe access to the beach, estuary and headland  

·         Recognition of Aboriginal and European heritage

·         Protecting and restoring native vegetation.

·         Enhancing recreation and tourism opportunities and experience.

·         Providing education and information opportunities   

“While the level of interest from the community is welcome, it can be a challenge to work amongst such a dynamic discussion at times, but we will use that energy to move ahead,” Ms Barnes said.

Landscape Architects SPIIRE were engaged to assist council in this work. They have been professional and engaging in sourcing and acknowledging feedback throughout their consultation with the community.

“I think everyone realises that compromise needs to be made to achieve a balanced plan that serves the greater community,” Ms Barnes said.

“I am keen for council to start turning this talk into action that we will all see value in.”

She said council would continue to keep the community updated on the process via local media, and council’s website and Facebook page.