Scribbly Gum Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus sclerophylla)
BMCS logo
Blue Mountains City Council Election
10th September 2016
The Blue Mountains Conservation Society presents everything you need to know about the 2016 Council Election from an environmental perspective.
Report Card - how has the Council fared over the past 4 years?

This Report Card assesses how the Council performed against the 12 questions we asked at the 2012 Election.

These questions were “asks”, that is, what we would like them to do.

It is not possible to assess each councillor's performance or their party's, so we have simply assessed the Council as a whole. We also note that two councillors resigned in 2014 and were replaced in a by-election.

The Report Card - overall
sign symbol
Overall, we believe the Council have fared pretty well – especially in the areas of "pollution and waste" and "planning and development". So they have a "green-light".

The Report Card - in detail

natural areas and wildlife - bushland protection and restoration

sign symbol
1. Support Council's current funding to Bushcare activities being maintained.

sign symbol
2. Support the Council taking measures to oppose recreational hunting in National Parks

natural areas and wildlife - responsible pet ownership

sign symbol
3. Support the Council continuing to advocate to extend the existing state Companion Animal legislation to domestic cats.

urban sustainability

sign symbol
4. Support the introduction of water bubblers so people can recharge their water bottles.

sign symbol
5. Support Council extending its existing environmental levy for another five years to support essential Council environmental programs.

sign symbol
6. Support Council in supporting and promoting practical sustainability initiatives developed by local community organisations to lower the community's greenhouse gas emissions.

pollution and waste

sign symbol
7. Support the introduction of a Green Bin for garden waste while retaining the chipping service.

sign symbol
8. Support the introduction of an annual e-waste collection.

planning and development

sign symbol
The Planning and Development questions were superseded in 2012 when the NSW Government directed the Blue Mountains City Council to immediately prepare a new consolidated Local Environmental Plan based on the "one size fits all" Standard Instrument LEP format.

The gazettal in December 2015 of the new Blue Mountains Local Environmental Plan 2015 marked a major achievement for the local community in establishing a sustainable and environmentally responsible planning and development blueprint for the future.

This was the culmination of a successful community campaign conducted by the Blue Mountains Conservation Society and a huge effort by Council led by the mayor and all the councillors.

Therefore, overall, "planning and development" is assessed as a green-light and Questions 9-11 are not individually assessed.

9. Support ensuring all the existing environmental protection measures currently included in LEP 2005 are not undermined or removed in any updating or revision, including existing provisions related to Protected Areas and those related to minimising environmental impacts of new development, and retaining all areas currently zoned environmental protection.

10. Support ensuring that LEP 1991 is updated and developed consistent with the provisions, methodology and approach taken in LEP 2005, including provisions related to Protected Areas and those related to minimising environmental impacts of new development, as well as retaining all areas currently zoned environmental protection.

11. Support Council taking all reasonable steps to restrict one-off “spot” rezoning of land outside of the process of reviewing LEP 2005 and LEP 1991.

public participation and accountability

sign symbol
12. Support ensuring all the existing environmental protection measures currently included in LEP 2005 are not undermined or removed in any updating or revision, including existing provisions related to Protected Areas and those related to minimising environmental impacts of new development, and retaining all areas currently zoned environmental protection.


 © 2018  Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc.
website by Waratah Software