05 August 2020: Mayoral Minutes

At the July Council meeting, I presented two Mayoral Minutes aimed at supporting our community. The first proposed that Council officers investigate the preparation of Social Impact Assessment Guidelines for inclusion in the new Waverley Development Control Plan (DCP) currently under review. Social impact is a key consideration of the assessment of any development application in terms of the impact of the proposal on the amenity of neighbouring properties and the locality. The Council’s DCP, does not, however, have explicit references to how social impact considerations should be assessed and managed. I proposed that the Council investigates the preparation of a guide that considers how matters of social impact can most appropriately be assessed for inclusion in our DCP.

The second Mayoral Minute notes some of the Council’s actions to date to help protect against COVID-19. This includes the ongoing monitoring by staff of our beaches, parks, Coastal Walk and other attractor sites to ensure extant public health orders are being adhered to. In other covid news, Council’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Business Support Package will continue to be in place until 30 September. To find out what support is available, contact our business response team at business@waverley.nsw.gov.au

Mend app to help the homeless

During Homelessness Week, 4-8 August, I am encouraging Waverley residents to download the Mend app developed by The Jewish House Bondi CEO Rabbi Mendel Kastel and Sydney entrepreneur Alexandra Tselios to help identify people living on the street and to link them with appropriate support networks. Our Council Rangers are the first in NSW to use the innovative free app that enables the public to log the location of and support for homeless residents in the community. Mend was launched 12 months ago and has helped identify many people living on the street who may need support. The app is available on the App Store and Google Play.