IS THE NEWCASTLE BEACHES COASTAL RESERVE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK FOR THE PUBLIC GOOD?

Newcastle City Council Coastal Reserves 2008 - Coastal Lands Plan from Fern Bay to Glenrock Lagoon - http://tiny.cc/24lCp

SPC 02/12/2008 DRAFT NEWCASTLE BEACHES COASTAL RESERVE MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING - http://tiny.cc/1iQT8

Attached is also the draft Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) relating to coastal lands and binds to some extent the Department of Lands, Hunter Surf Lifesaving Inc. and the Newcastle City Council to create a new type of reserve (see the Map included in MOU) that allows commercial development opportunities to fund infrastructure and provide security of tenure for commercial operators to assist Surf Clubs. (One of the parties to the MOU).

This document needs close legal scrutiny as it seems that it aims to bypass the Crown Land and Community land plan of management procedures in contravention of the dedication of the existing reserve status of the

lands affected.

Furthermore it seems to combine the parties in a clandestine way into activities that may be against the public good.

Is this being done across the State? Many people are concerned in Newcastle.

I have requested that the General Manager of Newcastle Council provide me with the date when Council dealt with this matter and the details of the Council Resolution authorising the expenditure. ($150,000 for the Management Plan)

The draft document is dated the 19 November 2008 and documents a Memorandum of Understanding between NSW DEPARTMENT OF LANDS, HUNTER SURF LIFESAVING INCORPORATED AND NEWCASTLE CITY COUNCIL

DOWNLOAD THE MOU HERE (1 MB PDF) Direct link here: http://tiny.cc/dMgIR

Doug Lithgow

President of the Parks and Playgrounds Movement Inc

Freeman of the City of Newcastle