Community and Culture Committee - 8 Jul 2025 5:00 PM

Key decisions

• Toukley Community Facilities Masterplan to proceed to public exhibition
  The committee supported the draft Toukley Community Facilities Masterplan and recommended that Council place it on public exhibition for 42 days, with a further report to come back after exhibition.
  Residents in Toukley and nearby areas will be able to review and comment on proposed community facility planning before Council makes a final decision.
• Australia Day award changes deferred
  The committee deferred the proposed 2026 Australia Day award changes, including renaming the ceremony to the Central Coast Community Awards and changes to judging and event format, to the next committee meeting on 9 September 2025.
  Any changes to the awards program and ceremony will be considered later, so current arrangements remain unresolved for now.
• Grants and sponsorship policy changes deferred
  The committee deferred the draft grants and sponsorship policies item to 9 September 2025 and requested a tracked-changes version of the policy documents and a historical financial report.
  Community groups will need to wait longer for decisions on grants policy changes, the proposed sponsorship program, and proposed budget reallocation.
• Woy Woy Foreshore Concept Design recommended for exhibition
  The committee recommended that Council endorse the draft Woy Woy Foreshore Concept Design Report for public exhibition for 42 days. It also specified that Memorial Park is excluded from the masterplan and that no works can occur there without an approved Heritage Conservation Management plan.
  Woy Woy residents will be able to comment on foreshore plans, while Memorial Park has been explicitly carved out from changes under this masterplan.
• Support endorsed for Central Coast Town Crier
  The committee recommended that Council officially support Mr Stephen Clarke to represent Central Coast Council at the National Town Criers’ Championships and allocate $750 per year for three years, totaling $2,250, with a review in 2028.
  This commits a small annual council contribution to a civic representation role and sets a review point after three years.

Important topics

• Public exhibition of major community planning documents
  Two place-based plans advanced toward community consultation: the Toukley Community Facilities Masterplan and the Woy Woy Foreshore Concept Design, each proposed for 42 days of public exhibition.
  Residents will have formal opportunities to provide feedback on local facility and foreshore planning.
• Protection of Memorial Park within Woy Woy planning
  The committee added conditions that Memorial Park is excluded from the Woy Woy foreshore masterplan and that no works can be undertaken there without a Heritage Conservation Management plan.
  This limits immediate change to a sensitive local site and signals heritage controls will apply before any future works.
• Pending review of community funding settings
  The deferred grants item included proposed exhibition of a new Community Grants Policy, re-establishment of a Sponsorship Program from 2026-27, and a proposed 15% budget shift from grants to sponsorship.
  Local organisations seeking council funding may be affected by future changes to eligibility, policy settings, and how funding is split between grants and sponsorship.

Resident impacts

• Toukley community facility planning is moving to public consultation.
• Woy Woy foreshore planning is moving to public consultation, but Memorial Park is excluded from the current masterplan.
• Changes to the council awards program have been delayed until September 2025.
• Community groups face delayed decisions on grants and sponsorship policy changes.
• Council is considering a future sponsorship program and a possible 15% reallocation from grants funding from 2026-27, but no decision was made at this meeting.
• A yearly $750 contribution for the Town Crier role was recommended, subject to Council approval and later review.

Places affected

• Toukley (suburb)
  Draft Community Facilities Masterplan supported for 42-day public exhibition.
• Woy Woy (suburb)
  Draft Foreshore Concept Design recommended for 42-day public exhibition.
• Memorial Park (park)
  Explicitly excluded from the Woy Woy foreshore masterplan; no works without a Heritage Conservation Management plan.
• Wyong Administration Building (council facility)
  Location of the next committee meeting on 9 September 2025.
• Central Coast (local government area)
  Area affected by awards, grants, sponsorship, and Town Crier representation matters.

Next steps

• Exhibit the draft Toukley Community Facilities Masterplan if endorsed by Council
  42 days, following Council endorsement
• Bring back a report on the outcome of the Toukley masterplan exhibition
  After the exhibition period
• Reconsider Australia Day award changes
  Community and Culture Committee meeting on 9 September 2025
• Reconsider the draft grants and sponsorship policies with tracked changes and historical financial information
  Community and Culture Committee meeting on 9 September 2025
• Exhibit the draft Woy Woy Foreshore Concept Design if endorsed by Council
  42 days, following Council endorsement
• Report back on community consultation outcomes for the Woy Woy foreshore plan
  After the exhibition period
• Review the annual Town Crier funding allocation
  2028

Extracted minutes text

- 1 - Central Coast Council Community & Culture Committee Held in Function Room 2 2 Hely Street, Wyong 08 July 2025 MINUTES Attendance Members Status Cr Margot Castles, Chairperson Present Cr Trent McWaide, Deputy Chairperson Apology Mayor Lawrie McKinna, Member Apology Cr Kyla Daniels, Member Present (Remotely) Cr John McNamara, Member Present Cr Sharon Walsh, Member Present Cr Kyle MacGregor, Member Present (Remotely) Cr Belinda Neal, Member Present Councillor Guest Status Deputy Mayor Doug Eaton OAM Present Cr John Mouland Present Cr Helen Crowley Present Staff Status Mel Smith, Director Community and Recreation Services Present Phil Cantillon, Unit Manager Leisure Beach Safety and Commu...