planning · Central Coast Council
Gosford Coming Alive 2040 advances after council rejects quarterly reporting plan
Central Coast Council endorsed the long-term Gosford program on a 7-7 division, with Mayor Lawrie McKinna using his casting vote to reject a dedicated webpage and quarterly project updates.
Gosford residents and businesses will see Gosford Coming Alive 2040 proceed without a dedicated public webpage or quarterly reporting framework after Central Coast Council endorsed the program on the Mayor’s casting vote.
The council authorised Chief Executive Officer David Farmer to make administrative or minor changes and commenced implementation of the program’s governance structure.
Cr Corinne Lamont and Cr Jane Smith proposed adding a webpage containing the governance structure, membership and terms of reference for associated bodies, meeting agendas and minutes, probity and conflict-of-interest arrangements, and quarterly updates on project status, budgets, expenditure, milestones, risks and measurable outcomes. The proposal allowed for lawful confidentiality requirements.
The amendment was lost on Mayor Lawrie McKinna’s casting vote. Cr Lamont, Cr Smith, Cr Kyle MacGregor, Cr Margot Castles, Cr Helen Crowley, Cr Sharon Walsh and Cr Belinda Neal voted for it.
Mayor McKinna, Deputy Mayor John Mouland, Cr Kyla Daniels, Cr Doug Eaton OAM, Cr Rachel Stanton, Cr Jared Wright and Cr John McNamara voted against the amendment.
The underlying motion then passed on the Mayor’s casting vote, with the same seven councillors supporting Gosford Coming Alive 2040 and the same seven opposing it.
The resolution starts the governance rollout but does not include the additional public reporting arrangements proposed during debate. It does not set a separate implementation date or a timetable for reporting on the governance structure.
The program’s endorsement was one of several decisions at the 28 July 2026 ordinary council meeting. Other outcomes included adoption of amendments to the Central Coast Development Control Plan 2022, approval of an $830,360 budget increase for an accessible public toilet and CCTV infrastructure at the Lake Munmorah Recreation Precinct, and a request for a report on options to continue rates payments at Australia Post local post offices after the service is scheduled to end on 29 September 2026.
Reference minutes
Central Coast Council, Ordinary Council Meeting, Tuesday 28 July 2026.
Key facts from the minutes
- Central Coast Council endorsed Gosford Coming Alive 2040 on 28 July 2026.
- The council commenced implementation of the program’s governance structure.
- A proposed dedicated webpage and quarterly reporting framework was lost on Mayor Lawrie McKinna’s casting vote.
- The reporting proposal covered project status, budgets, expenditure, milestones, risks and measurable outcomes.
- The underlying program passed on the Mayor’s casting vote after a 7-7 division.
- Chief Executive Officer David Farmer was authorised to make administrative or minor changes.
Why it matters
- Gosford Coming Alive 2040 will proceed, but the dedicated webpage and quarterly reporting framework proposed during the closely divided vote were not adopted.