Category: Newcastle News

A potential new Business Improvement Association (BIA) for The Junction, reactivation of the Mayfield BIA and up to $100,000 in annual funding for each of the City’s existing four BIAs are among reforms recommended in a report to be considered by Council next week.
The Review of Business Improvement Associations (BIAs) in Newcastle, which Council will consider for public exhibition on 16 April, recommends that all Special Benefit Rate Levy (SBRL) funding above $100,000 be opened up to the community for awarding.
Under this arrangement, up to $800,000 will later this year be allocated to a free market of ideas to deliver events and projects in the City Centre, Hamilton, Mayfield, Wallsend and New Lambton.
In addition to secured funding of $100,000, BIAs will also be eligible to apply for grants from the contestable funds.
City CEO Jeremy Bath said grant applications will be considered if a community group has a project or event that meets the strict objective of defraying the cost of promoting, beautifying or developing the City Centre (including Darby Street), Hamilton, Mayfield, New Lambton or Wallsend.
“AECOM’s report provides a strong rationale for the proposed changes to the BIA structure, which I believe is a necessary and natural step to support the city’s changing economic climate,” he said.
“Since the BIAs were formed almost a decade ago, Council has become far more strategic in its planning. It’s critical that the work funded by the BIAs support our Events Plan and Destination Management Plan as well as the Greater Newcastle Metropolitan Plan.
“BIAs have the potential to play an important role in partnering with the City to deliver exciting initiatives that stimulate activity in areas including the CBD, Wallsend, Mayfield and Hamilton.
“The BIAs have collectively received more than $8 million from ratepayers since 2012. However, some of the BIAs have struggled to maximise the return on the funds they have been provided. Competition is what is now needed to bring about fresh ideas for how this money is best invested in the activation of these areas.
“Financial information from the BIAs confirm an excessive amount of ratepayers’ money has been allocated to employing staff, paying rent, hiring consultants and even on projects occurring outside their precinct.
“By introducing competition, we’ll see a number of dynamic new events and projects arise throughout the city.
“I expect the BIAs to respond positively to the requirement to compete for some of the funds they were previously the exclusive recipient of. The difference is that the BIAs will now need to demonstrate that their ideas are indeed the best ideas.
“AECOM has relied on financial data provided by the BIAs to form its recommendations. The financial records of Hamilton and Wallsend show that when administration and contractor costs are removed from their annual expenses, they invest around $100,000 annually into the delivery of local events.
“This means in the case of the Hamilton BIA sufficient funding will exist to continue delivering events such as Beaumont Carnivale, China Week and the Supercars Street Parade.
“In the case of Wallsend, they will also be able to continue funding the Wallsend Winter Fair and the Back in Time Festival.
“The change in funding will however significantly affect Newcastle Now. I’ve previously made clear my expectation that Newcastle Now should be spending their funding on events and projects rather than employees.
“Their audited annual financial statements confirm that approximately $1.5 million has been spent on employees during the past few years. If you need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars employing people to deliver a project then you are delivering the wrong type of event.
“An independent investigation into Newcastle Now last year found four significant breaches of the funding agreement it signed with Council in 2011.
“Newcastle Now’s failure to lodge an annual business plan is well known. What is less known is that Newcastle Now is required to hold all funds it receives on trust for Council in a separate trust account. Although Newcastle Now did establish such an account, there was no evidence this account was held on trust for Council.
“Further, the investigation found Newcastle Now has routinely transferred funds from the Investment Account into its working account. This meant that money paid by ratepayers became co-mingled with general expenses.
“Newcastle Now was also required to keep accurate records and accounts in relation to its use of the Special Rate monies for at least seven years. The investigation found that there are no records or accounts of actual project expenditure beyond the initial 2 years of the agreement with Council.
“Newcastle Now, like any other applicant for the contestable funding, will need to demonstrate that they now have a strong and transparent structure in place that ensures every dollar of ratepayers’ money is used in strict accordance with any future agreement with Council.”
To view the report going to Council on Tuesday, visit http://www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Council/About-Council/council-meetings.

A man has been charged with numerous offences including ‘up-skirting’ after he was allegedly found to be in possession of child abuse material in Charlestown this week.
About 4pm on Wednesday 10 April 2019, police attached to the Lake Macquarie Target Action Group noticed a 52-year-old man walking along the Pacific Highway, Charlestown.
Officers arrested the man in relation to an incident that occurred on Friday 5 April 2019 on an escalator at a shopping centre in Charlestown where he was allegedly filming up a young woman’s skirt.
The man’s mobile phone was seized and examined by officers who allegedly located an amount of child abuse material and child grooming offences.
A search warrant was executed at the man’s New Lambton Heights home where officers allegedly located electronic equipment containing further child abuse material.
The man was charged at Belmont Police Station with film persons private parts without consent, possess child abuse material, use carriage service to solicit child abuse material and use carriage service to transmit/publish/promote child abuse.
The man appeared before Toronto Local Court today (Friday 12 April 2019), and was refused bail to appear before Belmont Local Court on Wednesday 24 April 2019.

A man will appear in court today after being charged with the aggravated indecent assault of a woman on a train at Newcastle yesterday.
About 8.40am on Wednesday 10 April 2019, a 19-year-old woman was waiting on the platform at Cardiff Railway Station, to travel to work.
Police have been told that a man approached the woman and attempted to engage her in conversation.
The man allegedly tried to kiss the woman, but she pushed him away.
The woman then boarded a train and was followed by the man who sat next to her.
Police will allege that during the journey the man kissed and touched the woman without her consent.
As the woman attempted to leave the train, the man allegedly grabbed her, but was interrupted by another passenger.
The woman contacted a relative, and police were informed.
The man was arrested nearby and conveyed to Newcastle Police Station where he was charged with aggravated sexual touching (x2).
He was refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Thursday 11 April 2019).

Two people will appear in court today after being charged at Newcastle with numerous offences allegedly committed across NSW.
Following a break enter & steal offence in Port Macquarie, during the early hours of Tuesday 9 April 2019, police began tracking a stolen BMW.
Police located the vehicle in Williamtown shortly after 4pm and started following it in heavy traffic.
A short time later the BMW drove towards police and a pursuit commenced. It was terminated a short time later due to safety concerns.
The BMW continued through Fullerton Cove, Fern Bay, Stockton, Mayfield and Tighes Hill where it became stuck on a median strip.
The two occupants fled towards another car and after getting into it, tried to unsuccessfully force the male driver out.
They moved to a second vehicle and tried to force the female driver from the car. She was assisted by members of the public and the couple fled on foot.
Officers from Newcastle City Police District arrested the offenders on Industrial Drive and took them to the police station.
A 21-year-old man was charged with aggravated break, enter & steal, police pursuit (x2), unlicensed driving (x2), attempt carjacking (x2), possess property stolen outside the state and an outstanding warrant.
The 23-year-old woman was charged with aggravated break, enter & steal, attempt carjacking (x2), wilfully obstruct officer and be carried in conveyance.
Both have been refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today (Wednesday 10 April 2019).

A man and a woman have been charged after they engaged in sexual activity on a public bus in Lake Macquarie.
About 9:50am on Friday 29 March 2019, a 23-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman boarded a bus at Charlestown and sat on the back seat.
At some stage during the trip the pair became engaged in sexual activity and, after becoming aware, the bus driver ordered them to stop and exit the bus.
Both became verbally aggressive, with the man spitting at the driver, before getting off the bus at Warners Bay.
A short time later the pair attempted to board a second bus but were refused by the driver who had been alerted to the earlier incident.
The pair became aggressive before getting off the bus.
The man then walked in front of the bus and attempted to remove the windscreen wipers.
Police were called but the pair fled the area before officers from Lake Macquarie Police District arrived.
Following inquiries, yesterday (Tuesday 9 April 2019), a Windale man was arrested by officers from Morisset Police Transport Command and was taken to Belmont Police Station where he was charged with affray, common assault, intimidation, offensive conduct and malicious damage.
He was refused bail to appear at Toronto Local Court today (Wednesday 10 April 2019).
A Windale woman was charged by way for a future court appearance notice with offensive conduct and incite to the commission of crimes and will appear at Toronto Local Court on Tuesday 14 May 2019.

A body has been found after a housefire in the Lake Macquarie region overnight.
Emergency services were called to Macquarie Street, Barnsley, after a neighbour noticed a house on fire about 11.15pm (Monday 8 April 2019).
Fire & Rescue NSW officers discovered the body after they extinguished the blaze about midnight.
Police have been told a 23-year-old man lived in the home; he has not been accounted for.
A post-mortem examination will be conducted to confirm identity of the deceased as well as the cause of death.
Due to the extensive structural damage to the building, a crime scene guard was established overnight and specialist investigators will begin their examination later this morning (Tuesday 9 March 2019).
As a consequence, the cause of the fire is yet to be determined.
Inquiries are continuing.