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

Councillors
Newcastle City Council
City Hall Newcastle Friday, 08 January 2010

Dear Councillor
Bogey Hole & King Edward Park are part of one Land Parcel & are Heritage Items

Parks and Playgrounds Movement is pleased to note the excellent article by Cr John Tate Lord Mayor about the Bogey Hole and coast published in the Herald today 8/1/2010.

Cr Tate indicated that the Bogey Hole and the coast are owned by the Government and Council needs assistance in its management and that the Newcastle Council gave the Land & Property Management Authority $150,000 to prepare a land use plan.

Our coast is a scarce and priceless resource which is held in trust for the people of NSW. Elected Councillors and Members of Parliament as Trustees are expected to do all in their power to protect that scarce resource for the benefit of all people and tomorrow’s people.

In regard to the Bogey Hole it is an integral part of the existing King Edward Park Crown Land parcel. It was formerly part of the 87 acres of the 2000 acre Coal grant to the AA Company retained by the Crown in 1824. King Edward Park including the Bogey Hole was dedicated for Public Recreation in March 1894. The Park has an absolute water frontage and Newcastle Council has exercised care control and management for the whole area since dedication.

We are pleased that the collapsed cliff top fence is now being reinstated and we ask that the safety chain around the pool be also restored. Furthermore we request that rusted out picnic tables be replaced and the stairway to the pool be cleaned and drained at the side.

Parks and Playgrounds Movement believe that it is important that a clear working relationship be maintained between the Department of Lands (Now named NSW Land & Property Management Authority) and the Newcastle Council as in the past.

However we must point out that we are appalled and outraged that our Newcastle Council has allowed itself to be a silent party to a $300,000 dollar report aimed to alienate our scarce coastal lands and change their use against the interests of the public of Newcastle.

We also ask you to make public the details of the Newcastle fee simple land at Merewether that was transferred to the Minister for Lands by gift Aug 2008 in contravention of the covenant running with the land.

We Trust in your help to make sure that our distinctive coastal heritage is protected.
Yours sincerely.

Doug Lithgow Parks and Playgrounds Movement Inc