“I’ve spent over 40 years surrounded by National Parks, reserves full of wildlife, extraordinary trees and pristine beaches. Why would I not fight to save Pittwater for future generations. One thing I’ve learned in my long fortunate life is that unless you fight for something you believe in nothing will happen.”
“Pittwater is not like its NB Council cousins, Manly and Warringah. Its typical landscape is sandstone ridges, steep forested hills and beaches, all bound by the waters of Pittwater, the Hawkesbury and the Pacific; it includes National Parks. Houses largely exist under a tree canopy, often in unfenced areas, allowing the free run of wildlife. […]
Update by our Finance Analyst
Richard White, FCPA
Our Strategic Business Case is finalised as of late July. We are now awaiting a response from the Minister for Local Government to arrange a presentation meeting, with our Pittwater MP, Jacqui Scruby. Following this meeting we intend to release the documentation to our PP Members.
The work began in mid-2024 by Frank Peylaire, a strategist specialising in Transaction, Advisory, Finance, and Economics and consulting to Government and large companies. The initial document supported the viability of a reinstated Pittwater Council, based on Northern Beaches FY2023 numbers plus NBC’s then 10-year Long Term Financial Plan.
A few months after the Rate-Rise Protests around this time last year, I was asked to update Frank’s SBC with FY2024 numbers and subsequently with FY2025’s numbers.
With all the poking and probing needed before updating, it became apparent that a reinstated Pittwater Council would be viable, and importantly, that the then remaining Northern Beaches Council would remain viable - all the more so - with its subsequent 25% increase in rates.
Pittwater Council ‘ward’ was viable before the 2016 merger – and would be again, and if both councils can be shown to be viable, and given community support for the local council to be restored to Pittwater, it’s hard to see the government not agreeing to de-amalgamation by means of a Pittwater plebiscite. (This occurred in Snowy Valleys Council’s plebiscite process late last year.)
Quite apart from re-shaping the Northern Beaches Council pie into a Manly-Warringah slice and a Pittwater slice, Pittwater will have the opportunity to shape a more efficient, less top-heavy structure, meaning that a higher proportion of staff would be in service delivery: looking after pools, mowing grass, cleaning up after storms and so on, and delivering a strong community-led voice addressing local concerns.
Consulting on a more efficient structure is almost complete, after which we look forward to putting our case to the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Ron Hoenig, MP.
Video courtesy of John Illingsworth. Website by Flow Interactive