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City of Newcastle has developed a comprehensive community and business support package designed to help locals through the unprecedented effects of COVID-19.
The package, which has been designed to maintain the organisation’s financial sustainability, is initially worth $5.5 million in the short term and includes interest free payment plans for rates, rent reductions on council-owned buildings, free online training packages, and a boost to the City’s infrastructure program to deliver an economic stimulus.
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the package, which was adopted at last night’s Council meeting, delivers both financial and social support to ensure Newcastle remains resilient during this challenging time.
“We understand that every business is suffering enormously from the impacts of COVID-19 and will likely be affected for the foreseeable future,” the Lord Mayor said.
“It’s imperative, now more than ever, that we work together.
“Our resilience package has been informed by experts and seeks to focus on areas where local government has a clear strength and mandate.
“Many in in our community are facing unemployment and the elderly may become more isolated for the next few months as they minimise their risk of exposure to COVID-19.
“We will further promote City of Newcastle’s existing financial hardship policies and make it easier for rate payers to enter interest free payment arrangements.
“The City will also offer free access to digital training resources for all small business owners and their staff, as well as the broader community, to enable the upskilling and transformation of the workforce during the predicted time of slow economic activity.”
A City Taskforce, led by the City of Newcastle will be established to act as the local coordinating authority to oversee the future recovery phases of COVID-19 pandemic crisis.
The City will also assist not for profit organisations and will expand its e-library offering in a commitment to support community wellbeing and the most vulnerable and emerging at-risk groups.
Cr Nelmes said the package included enhancing City of Newcastle’s ‘buy local’ commitment.
“Businesses within the Newcastle Local Government Area will be favoured with a temporary change to the procurement policy which further enhances the assessment weighting for locals.
“We will also fast track our invoice payment to provide improved cash-flow for businesses and to keep the economy ticking.
“A 50 per cent discount will be given on rent for all City-owned buildings for the June quarter lifting the pressure for dozens of local businesses and community organisations.
“We are embracing community thinking. The City of Newcastle is a community that cares and looks after each other. We will continue to promote and facilitate equitable access to services and facilities.”
For further information on City of Newcastle’s response to COVID-19 please see newcastle.nsw.gov.au/COVID-19
Community and Economic Package Overview
Financial Hardship Support – $468,000
The City will provide financial hardship support for residents to develop payment plans for their rates. All fees and charges including interest penalties will be waived until 30 June 2021. It will also offer hardship support for owner occupier commercial ratepayers or commercial property owners who can demonstrate the reduction will be passed onto their tenants.
Procurement and Purchasing Support – $535,000
Our existing procurement policy includes a minimum local weighting assessment of 10 per cent. Where possible, this weighting will be increased for the next six months. Invoices from existing contracts with local suppliers will be processed within seven days as soon as approved.
Council support – $1,500,000
The City will give businesses and individuals flexibility on a range of Council fees and policies to ease pressures relating to COVID-19. This will allow essential businesses and service providers to operate responsively to the City’s changing needs in line with the latest advice from the NSW Government and Federal Government. Includes the waiving of library fees, returning booking fees and maintaining hourly parking rates at current levels.
Rent relief for City of Newcastle tenants – $732,000
Small businesses operating out of council owned buildings will receive a cash flow relief with the City offering a 50 per cent discount on rent for the next two quarters.
e-Library expansion – $100,000
Expansion of existing e-Library services including e-book and e-audio platforms, video story, movie and music streaming platforms, access to online newspapers and e-magazines.
Online learning – Studiosity and Lynda – $60,000
Promote existing online training programs, such as Lynda, as well as expanding our subscription to Studiosity, which provides one-on-one tutoring for school and tertiary students.
Community grant program – $800,000
The City will make financial and in-kind support available to mobilise the Newcastle community sector to respond to immediate community need, with a focus on the most vulnerable and emerging at risk groups. An Expression of Interest process will also be opened for Newcastle-based not-for-profits, non government organisations, community groups and organisations to receive funds to deliver essential local services and innovative solutions to COVID-19 created challenges.
City taskforce and industry responses – $500,000
A City Taskforce, led by the City of Newcastle will be established to act as the local coordinating authority to oversee the future recovery phases of COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The Taskforce will initially fund an Expression of Interest program to provide innovative support to targeted local industries.
Lean In Newy – $150,000
“Lean-In Newy” is a social action and economic incentive app that will engage and propel local behaviours, such as volunteering. The platform will enable social actions to be pushed out to our local community, with built-in economic incentives.
Local online training programs – $500,000
Council will support local small business owners and staff to undertake professional development training and accreditation.
Communications and marketing budget is $100,000

Following is a summary of the Ordinary Council Meeting for Tuesday 24 March 2020. NB: it is not a full record of resolutions.
Lord Mayoral Minute
A Lord Mayoral Minute to develop a Community and Economic Resilience package to assist Novocastrians through this period of unprecedented disruption caused by COVID-19 was supported.
A report on the proposed package was presented to council and adopted. City of Newcastle in consultation with key stakeholders has developed a two-phase community and economic resilience package in response to the evolving COVID-19 crisis which will be implemented.
Ordinary business 
Public Exhibition of Draft Our Budget 2020/21 (Delivery Program 2018 -2022 and operational plan 2020/21) and draft fees and charges 2020/21
Council resolved to place the draft 2020/21 Our Budget (2018-2022 Delivery Program and 2020/21 Operational Plan) on public exhibition.
Appointment of voting delegate for the 2020 National General Assembly of Local Government and Endorsement of motions.
Council has voted to appoint the Lord Mayor or delegate to exercise Council’s voting rights at the 2020 Australian Local Government Association’s National General Assembly. The Australian Local Government Association is the national voice of local government, representing 537 Councils across the country.
Adoption of Fern Bay and North Stockton Strategy
Council has voted to adopt the Fern Bay and North Stockton Strategy and Implementation Plan.
Proposed road closures – 35 Robert Street and 22 Annie Street, Wickham
Council voted to close a section of road reserve at John Street, Wickham, and sell the land as two separate parcels. The sale revenue will be transferred to City of Newcastle’s ‘Works Program: Specific Projects’ internal reserve.
Executive Monthly Performance Report
Council has received the Executive Monthly Performance Report for February 2020.
Notices of Motion
Submission to review Disability Inclusion Act
A Notice of Motion to prepare a submission to the NSW Government’s Review of the Disability Inclusion Act was supported by council.
The submission will support ongoing funding to Newcastle based disability advocacy organisations (including Disability Advocacy NSW and Community Disability Alliance Hunter) and will convey its concern regarding the lack of NSW Government funding to implement the mandated Disability Inclusion Action Plans, that are required under the Act.
The submission will also note the impacts of the changing demographic profile of Newcastle, including its ageing population, which increases pressure on local government to provide accessible services without any additional Government funding.
The Future for Waste
A Notice of Motion on the Future of Waste was supported by councillors. The NOM notes the release of two Issues Papers (Cleaning Up Our Act – The Future for Waste and Resource Recovery in NSW and Redirecting the Future of Plastic in NSW) by the NSW Government. It also notes that City of Newcastle paid $32.7 million in the s88 waste levy in the last financial year, and received $176,290 in NSW Waste Less, Recycle More grants (equal to just 0.6 per cent of waste levy paid).
Councillors voted for the City to make a submission to both Issues Papers, consistent with its previously adopted positions, encouraging the State funding to support waste avoidance and recovery, including grants to support councils with major capital, develop a local circular economy, and support for local manufacturing using recycled product and to also deliver consistent education campaigns to promote waste avoidance and recycling.
Support of Wildlife Carers
A notice of Motion to support Wildlife carers was introduced with the officer’s recommendation supported. The NSW Government was commended on the creation of The Wildlife Heroes Bushfire Emergency Fund 2019 grant program and the important work undertaken by volunteer wildlife carers to rehabilitate wildlife recognised. The supported recommendation also notes the important work undertaken by the City’s Blackbutt Reserve volunteers who focus on animal care and education activities.
Social infrastructure, the community pantry
A Notice of Motion to install a ‘community pantry’ was introduced with the officer’s recommendation supported. In consultation and collaboration with Newcastle’s network of Specialist Homelessness Service providers council will identify potential uses of community assets for the distribution of outreach hampers, parcels and vouchers. It will also explore resources and guidance on the City of Newcastle website to inform the community about grassroots initiatives aimed at helping homeless people.
COVID-19 response measures 
A late Notice of Motion was introduced for Council to provide clear communications to all Newcastle residents on the steps being taken to minimise the spread of the Covid 19 virus and to discuss the provision of financial relief to Newcastle people.

City of Newcastle’s Ordinary Council Meeting will proceed tonight under limited and restricted conditions to meet all health and government requirements including:
The Council chamber will be limited to a capacity of 25 people with each person required to sit at least 1.5 metres apart. This will accommodate Councillors and essential staff only.

• The Hunter Room in City Hall will be set up to screen the meeting webcast for overflow attendees who are essential. This room will also have limited seating to meet the requirements of social distancing.
• The meeting time will be limited to 2 hours with the most critical items taking priority.

In the interests of their health and safety, members of the public are encouraged to access the meeting via the webcast at home as only essential attendees are permitted to attend.
Tonight’s ordinary council meeting will be webcast live from 6pm.

All City of Newcastle cultural facilities have closed until further notice but will continue to engage audiences online following a national directive to close all non-essential services to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Newcastle Art Gallery, Civic Theatre and Newcastle Museum, including the attached Newcastle Shop and Visitor Information Centre, have closed as a further public health precaution after yesterday’s temporary closure of library branches and last week’s shutdown of Fort Scratchley. The café at the Civic Theatre will remain open, serving takeaway customers only.
“While we believe that heritage and culture are important elements of a healthy community, in order for our city and organisation to focus on doing everything in our power to manage this pandemic, our cultural facilities will be closed until further notice,” Interim Director of City Wide Services Alissa Jones said.
“Our cultural facilities’ staff and volunteers know this is a difficult time for Newcastle and the rest of the world, but also understand that the technology available to most households today allows the show to go on in cyberspace.
“Accordingly, the staff and volunteers of Newcastle Museum, Fort Scratchley Historical Society, Civic Theatre and the Art Gallery have set about creating online resources, developing cultural programming and curating materials and other activities involved in caring for and promoting the City’s collections.”
Newcastle Museum Director Julie Baird said her team drew hope and courage from the city’s history of resilience in difficult times.
“We have survived adversity in our past and we will again,” Ms Baird said.
“We will utilise this time to care for the Museum’s collection and heritage assets and focus our efforts on entertaining and informing the community in different ways until it’s safe to welcome you back in person.”
Director of Newcastle Art Gallery Lauretta Morton said the gallery looked forward to raising spirits online and via digital channels.
“During our closure, the Art Gallery team will develop new initiatives to connect to our audiences through our website and social media channels,” Ms Morton said. “We will be sharing virtual tours of exhibitions, collection highlights and behind-the-scenes videos. Our popular family ArtCart program activity sheets will also be available online.
“The Gallery plays an important role supporting the health and wellbeing of our community and we look forward to welcoming everyone back to the Gallery as soon as possible.”
Civic Services Manager Delia O’Hara said most Civic Theatre shows that had to be postponed had been re-scheduled.
“These include the Very Popular Theatre Company’s production of Chess, Tim Minchin’s Back and Carl Barron. Tickets are on sale for these and other future performances, both online and by phone, while our shopfront ticket office is temporarily closed, so we look forward to welcoming our audience back later in 2020.
“Over at our Visitor Information Centre (VIC), staff are hard at work preparing for the move later in the year to the newly renovated Civic Station building, which will be a vastly superior VIC that caters to Newcastle’s bright future of tourism post-COVID-19.
“Visitor information is always available at visitnewcastle.com.au.”
For further information on City of Newcastle’s response to COVID-19 please visit www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/COVID-19

A man has been charged after allegedly drink driving in the state’s Hunter region yesterday.
About 4.15pm (Tuesday 24 March 2020), Officers from Hunter Valley Police District noticed a Holden Commodore stopped in the middle of the road on the Pacific Way, Muswellbrook.
As police approached the vehicle, it allegedly drove off, before stopping on Tobruk Avenue.
The driver – a 42-year-old man – was subjected to a roadside breath test, which returned a positive reading, before being arrested and taken to Muswellbrook Police Station.
The man allegedly returned a breath analysis reading of 0.274 and was charged with high range PCA and assault police.
Police will allege in court that the man claimed he had COVID-19 and intentionally coughed at the police officer when he was asked to submit to a breath test.
He was granted conditional bail and is due to appear at Muswellbrook Local Court on Monday 6 April 2020.

A man has been charged after an alleged incident left another man with a punctured lung in the state’s Hunter region.
Around 9.20pm on Sunday 22 March 2020, a 48-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were in a room of a hotel in William Street, Raymond Terrace, when it is alleged a man broke into the room by smashing a window.
It is alleged he threw a piece of glass which struck the 48-year-old in the chest. The 31-year-old man then left the room.
Police were contacted and commenced an investigation. A crime scene was established, and the injured man was taken to John Hunter Hospital with a suspected punctured lung.
At 8.30pm on Monday 23 March 2020, police found the 31-year-old man in the boot of a car at Raymond Terrace. He was arrested after a short struggle with police and taken to Raymond Terrace Police Station.
He man was charged with special aggravated break and enter and commit serious indictable offence and resist police.
The man was refused bail to appear before Raymond Terrace Local Court today (Tuesday 24 March 2020).

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man after he was swept off rocks in the Port Stephens area earlier today.
Officers from Port Stephens-Hunter Police District have been told two men were on rocks at Boulder Bay, south of Fingal Bay, about 10am (Sunday 22 March 2020), when they were swept into the ocean by a wave.
Two friends, who were nearby, threw life jackets to the men, but only one was able to grab it.
Surf lifesavers were alerted and attended the scene and found the body of a 32-year-old man. They rescued the second man, who had a life jacket; he was taken to John Hunter Hospital in a stable condition.
Officers are now waiting to speak with all surviving members of the group to establish the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
Police believe the deceased man was visiting the area from Merrylands.
A report will be prepared for the information of the Coroner.