If you could run a Newcastle council meeting, how would you do it?
The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them.
That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public.
City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election.
Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings.
"The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said.
"We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered."
The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines.
The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions.
It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community.
"Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said.
City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September.
The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website.
CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings.
The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them.
That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public.
City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election.
Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings.
"The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said.
"We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered."
The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines.
The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions.
It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community.
"Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said.
City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September.
The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website.
CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings.
The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them.
That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public.
City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election.
Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings.
"The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said.
"We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered."
The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines.
The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions.
It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community.
"Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said.
City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September.
The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website.
CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings.
The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them.
That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public.
City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election.
Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings.
"The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said.
"We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered."
The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines.
The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions.
It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community.
"Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said.
City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September.
The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025.
Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website.
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The Advertiser
4 days ago
- The Advertiser
'Just a little lie': the costly Jeremy Bath rumour Allan Robinson started
IT was the fib that sparked a bitter feud between councillors, a formal investigation, and set back City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath's employment by six months. Nine years on, in a colourful eulogy about former lord mayor and development titan Jeff McCloy, former councillor Allan 'Robbo' Robinson confessed: he made it up. Mr Bath's recruitment was thrown into turmoil in December 2016 when then Cr Robinson claimed a mystery man in Belmont told him Mr Bath had the job, two days before interviews. At Mr McCloy's packed City Hall funeral, Mr Robinson told an enraptured crowd he "made up some shit story" that was "just a little lie". "Jeremy Bath was coming on, and the whispers were, you know, 'He's not up for it, he's not up for it, he's not doing this, he's not doing this'," Mr Robinson said. "So I made up some shit story, just a little lie, it didn't hurt anyone. "I just made up this story, and it held Jeremy up for I think eight weeks I kept him out of a wage." Mr Robinson went on to say Mr McCloy approached him to ask what he'd heard. "I said 'Oh nothing, I've made it up'," Mr Robinson said. "Jeff went berserk at me for lying, I thought, 'f***, you're not me [sic] dad.'" In 2016, Mr Robinson said a man had approached him in Belmont and revealed a former Hunter-based executive had been given the job two days before interviews were due to take place. At the time, Mr Robinson said he did not know the mystery man's name, where he lived, and did not probe where the information had come from. The lie led to Cr Andrea Rufo, who died in November 2024 following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, resigning from his position on the CEO recruitment panel. Councillors walked out of a confidential vote on the election of a new interim CEO, and the NSW Office of Local Government later launched an investigation. It found nothing "improper or unethical" in the recruitment process. Mr Robinson told the Newcastle Herald he did not remember the particulars of the conversation, that a bloke from Belmont did tell him something, but he "might have added fuel to it" to put a stop to Mr Bath's recruitment until an investigation could be held. "I know with what I'd said I made up the best part of it to stop it and start an investigation, and then the investigation started," he said. Despite the fall-out, Mr Robinson said he does not "have any regrets". "They had to look into it ... and did I tell a white lie to stop it? I must have," he said. "I'm telling you now it's a better thing for the district for the fact what I done [sic] to Jeremy." Mr Robinson admitted he told Mr Bath at the time he "might have had something to do with it" and the pair have been "mates ever since". "I think he called me a name, my grandkids say f***, they don't say that one, right?" he said. "Let the people know how lucky they are to have Jeremy Bath at the helm. "He gives his guts to that joint, yeah, he gets a fortune for it, but he's worth every f****** cent he gets." Mr Bath was offered the role in March 2017. Several weeks before he started at City of Newcastle, Mr Bath said he called Mr Robinson about the "old man in Belmont" and the impact of the lie. "It was probably a more colourful conversation than I care to repeat now, but I made clear that I was willing to move forward on the condition that there were no more made-up stories about me," he said. Mr Bath said the story, the resulting council walk-out and Mr Rufo's resignation damaged his reputation and saw him start on the back foot with staff, councillors and the community. "Fortunately, several months before he passed away, Andrea called me to tell me that he no longer believed the story, and that he regretted believing it at the time. It was a lovely moment between us," Mr Bath said. "They say mud sticks, and it probably has to some degree. The 'old man in Belmont' reference still comes up every now and then, but I learnt a long time ago most people judge me based on how the city is performing rather than what other people tell them about me." Mr Bath said he did not speak publicly about Mr Robinson's admission at the time because he knew it was a lie. "The timeline of his story was based on a supposed conversation that took place before I'd even spoken with the recruiter about the job," he said. "I told Robbo when we spoke for the first time that I was willing to move forward. That meant putting it behind us." Four years on from Mr Robinson's tenure, Mr Bath said he still answers his calls. "In terms of going forward, it's nice to have the story put to bed and the truth known," he said. 'Robbo' was not eligible to stand for council in the 2024 elections because he was banned from holding civic office for two years, for misconduct the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal deemed "grossly homophobic" and "discriminatory". The tribunal found Mr Robinson had made a series of abusive comments towards fellow councillors between 2019 and 2020. IT was the fib that sparked a bitter feud between councillors, a formal investigation, and set back City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath's employment by six months. Nine years on, in a colourful eulogy about former lord mayor and development titan Jeff McCloy, former councillor Allan 'Robbo' Robinson confessed: he made it up. Mr Bath's recruitment was thrown into turmoil in December 2016 when then Cr Robinson claimed a mystery man in Belmont told him Mr Bath had the job, two days before interviews. At Mr McCloy's packed City Hall funeral, Mr Robinson told an enraptured crowd he "made up some shit story" that was "just a little lie". "Jeremy Bath was coming on, and the whispers were, you know, 'He's not up for it, he's not up for it, he's not doing this, he's not doing this'," Mr Robinson said. "So I made up some shit story, just a little lie, it didn't hurt anyone. "I just made up this story, and it held Jeremy up for I think eight weeks I kept him out of a wage." Mr Robinson went on to say Mr McCloy approached him to ask what he'd heard. "I said 'Oh nothing, I've made it up'," Mr Robinson said. "Jeff went berserk at me for lying, I thought, 'f***, you're not me [sic] dad.'" In 2016, Mr Robinson said a man had approached him in Belmont and revealed a former Hunter-based executive had been given the job two days before interviews were due to take place. At the time, Mr Robinson said he did not know the mystery man's name, where he lived, and did not probe where the information had come from. The lie led to Cr Andrea Rufo, who died in November 2024 following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, resigning from his position on the CEO recruitment panel. Councillors walked out of a confidential vote on the election of a new interim CEO, and the NSW Office of Local Government later launched an investigation. It found nothing "improper or unethical" in the recruitment process. Mr Robinson told the Newcastle Herald he did not remember the particulars of the conversation, that a bloke from Belmont did tell him something, but he "might have added fuel to it" to put a stop to Mr Bath's recruitment until an investigation could be held. "I know with what I'd said I made up the best part of it to stop it and start an investigation, and then the investigation started," he said. Despite the fall-out, Mr Robinson said he does not "have any regrets". "They had to look into it ... and did I tell a white lie to stop it? I must have," he said. "I'm telling you now it's a better thing for the district for the fact what I done [sic] to Jeremy." Mr Robinson admitted he told Mr Bath at the time he "might have had something to do with it" and the pair have been "mates ever since". "I think he called me a name, my grandkids say f***, they don't say that one, right?" he said. "Let the people know how lucky they are to have Jeremy Bath at the helm. "He gives his guts to that joint, yeah, he gets a fortune for it, but he's worth every f****** cent he gets." Mr Bath was offered the role in March 2017. Several weeks before he started at City of Newcastle, Mr Bath said he called Mr Robinson about the "old man in Belmont" and the impact of the lie. "It was probably a more colourful conversation than I care to repeat now, but I made clear that I was willing to move forward on the condition that there were no more made-up stories about me," he said. Mr Bath said the story, the resulting council walk-out and Mr Rufo's resignation damaged his reputation and saw him start on the back foot with staff, councillors and the community. "Fortunately, several months before he passed away, Andrea called me to tell me that he no longer believed the story, and that he regretted believing it at the time. It was a lovely moment between us," Mr Bath said. "They say mud sticks, and it probably has to some degree. The 'old man in Belmont' reference still comes up every now and then, but I learnt a long time ago most people judge me based on how the city is performing rather than what other people tell them about me." Mr Bath said he did not speak publicly about Mr Robinson's admission at the time because he knew it was a lie. "The timeline of his story was based on a supposed conversation that took place before I'd even spoken with the recruiter about the job," he said. "I told Robbo when we spoke for the first time that I was willing to move forward. That meant putting it behind us." Four years on from Mr Robinson's tenure, Mr Bath said he still answers his calls. "In terms of going forward, it's nice to have the story put to bed and the truth known," he said. 'Robbo' was not eligible to stand for council in the 2024 elections because he was banned from holding civic office for two years, for misconduct the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal deemed "grossly homophobic" and "discriminatory". The tribunal found Mr Robinson had made a series of abusive comments towards fellow councillors between 2019 and 2020. IT was the fib that sparked a bitter feud between councillors, a formal investigation, and set back City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath's employment by six months. Nine years on, in a colourful eulogy about former lord mayor and development titan Jeff McCloy, former councillor Allan 'Robbo' Robinson confessed: he made it up. Mr Bath's recruitment was thrown into turmoil in December 2016 when then Cr Robinson claimed a mystery man in Belmont told him Mr Bath had the job, two days before interviews. At Mr McCloy's packed City Hall funeral, Mr Robinson told an enraptured crowd he "made up some shit story" that was "just a little lie". "Jeremy Bath was coming on, and the whispers were, you know, 'He's not up for it, he's not up for it, he's not doing this, he's not doing this'," Mr Robinson said. "So I made up some shit story, just a little lie, it didn't hurt anyone. "I just made up this story, and it held Jeremy up for I think eight weeks I kept him out of a wage." Mr Robinson went on to say Mr McCloy approached him to ask what he'd heard. "I said 'Oh nothing, I've made it up'," Mr Robinson said. "Jeff went berserk at me for lying, I thought, 'f***, you're not me [sic] dad.'" In 2016, Mr Robinson said a man had approached him in Belmont and revealed a former Hunter-based executive had been given the job two days before interviews were due to take place. At the time, Mr Robinson said he did not know the mystery man's name, where he lived, and did not probe where the information had come from. The lie led to Cr Andrea Rufo, who died in November 2024 following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, resigning from his position on the CEO recruitment panel. Councillors walked out of a confidential vote on the election of a new interim CEO, and the NSW Office of Local Government later launched an investigation. It found nothing "improper or unethical" in the recruitment process. Mr Robinson told the Newcastle Herald he did not remember the particulars of the conversation, that a bloke from Belmont did tell him something, but he "might have added fuel to it" to put a stop to Mr Bath's recruitment until an investigation could be held. "I know with what I'd said I made up the best part of it to stop it and start an investigation, and then the investigation started," he said. Despite the fall-out, Mr Robinson said he does not "have any regrets". "They had to look into it ... and did I tell a white lie to stop it? I must have," he said. "I'm telling you now it's a better thing for the district for the fact what I done [sic] to Jeremy." Mr Robinson admitted he told Mr Bath at the time he "might have had something to do with it" and the pair have been "mates ever since". "I think he called me a name, my grandkids say f***, they don't say that one, right?" he said. "Let the people know how lucky they are to have Jeremy Bath at the helm. "He gives his guts to that joint, yeah, he gets a fortune for it, but he's worth every f****** cent he gets." Mr Bath was offered the role in March 2017. Several weeks before he started at City of Newcastle, Mr Bath said he called Mr Robinson about the "old man in Belmont" and the impact of the lie. "It was probably a more colourful conversation than I care to repeat now, but I made clear that I was willing to move forward on the condition that there were no more made-up stories about me," he said. Mr Bath said the story, the resulting council walk-out and Mr Rufo's resignation damaged his reputation and saw him start on the back foot with staff, councillors and the community. "Fortunately, several months before he passed away, Andrea called me to tell me that he no longer believed the story, and that he regretted believing it at the time. It was a lovely moment between us," Mr Bath said. "They say mud sticks, and it probably has to some degree. The 'old man in Belmont' reference still comes up every now and then, but I learnt a long time ago most people judge me based on how the city is performing rather than what other people tell them about me." Mr Bath said he did not speak publicly about Mr Robinson's admission at the time because he knew it was a lie. "The timeline of his story was based on a supposed conversation that took place before I'd even spoken with the recruiter about the job," he said. "I told Robbo when we spoke for the first time that I was willing to move forward. That meant putting it behind us." Four years on from Mr Robinson's tenure, Mr Bath said he still answers his calls. "In terms of going forward, it's nice to have the story put to bed and the truth known," he said. 'Robbo' was not eligible to stand for council in the 2024 elections because he was banned from holding civic office for two years, for misconduct the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal deemed "grossly homophobic" and "discriminatory". The tribunal found Mr Robinson had made a series of abusive comments towards fellow councillors between 2019 and 2020. IT was the fib that sparked a bitter feud between councillors, a formal investigation, and set back City of Newcastle chief executive Jeremy Bath's employment by six months. Nine years on, in a colourful eulogy about former lord mayor and development titan Jeff McCloy, former councillor Allan 'Robbo' Robinson confessed: he made it up. Mr Bath's recruitment was thrown into turmoil in December 2016 when then Cr Robinson claimed a mystery man in Belmont told him Mr Bath had the job, two days before interviews. At Mr McCloy's packed City Hall funeral, Mr Robinson told an enraptured crowd he "made up some shit story" that was "just a little lie". "Jeremy Bath was coming on, and the whispers were, you know, 'He's not up for it, he's not up for it, he's not doing this, he's not doing this'," Mr Robinson said. "So I made up some shit story, just a little lie, it didn't hurt anyone. "I just made up this story, and it held Jeremy up for I think eight weeks I kept him out of a wage." Mr Robinson went on to say Mr McCloy approached him to ask what he'd heard. "I said 'Oh nothing, I've made it up'," Mr Robinson said. "Jeff went berserk at me for lying, I thought, 'f***, you're not me [sic] dad.'" In 2016, Mr Robinson said a man had approached him in Belmont and revealed a former Hunter-based executive had been given the job two days before interviews were due to take place. At the time, Mr Robinson said he did not know the mystery man's name, where he lived, and did not probe where the information had come from. The lie led to Cr Andrea Rufo, who died in November 2024 following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia, resigning from his position on the CEO recruitment panel. Councillors walked out of a confidential vote on the election of a new interim CEO, and the NSW Office of Local Government later launched an investigation. It found nothing "improper or unethical" in the recruitment process. Mr Robinson told the Newcastle Herald he did not remember the particulars of the conversation, that a bloke from Belmont did tell him something, but he "might have added fuel to it" to put a stop to Mr Bath's recruitment until an investigation could be held. "I know with what I'd said I made up the best part of it to stop it and start an investigation, and then the investigation started," he said. Despite the fall-out, Mr Robinson said he does not "have any regrets". "They had to look into it ... and did I tell a white lie to stop it? I must have," he said. "I'm telling you now it's a better thing for the district for the fact what I done [sic] to Jeremy." Mr Robinson admitted he told Mr Bath at the time he "might have had something to do with it" and the pair have been "mates ever since". "I think he called me a name, my grandkids say f***, they don't say that one, right?" he said. "Let the people know how lucky they are to have Jeremy Bath at the helm. "He gives his guts to that joint, yeah, he gets a fortune for it, but he's worth every f****** cent he gets." Mr Bath was offered the role in March 2017. Several weeks before he started at City of Newcastle, Mr Bath said he called Mr Robinson about the "old man in Belmont" and the impact of the lie. "It was probably a more colourful conversation than I care to repeat now, but I made clear that I was willing to move forward on the condition that there were no more made-up stories about me," he said. Mr Bath said the story, the resulting council walk-out and Mr Rufo's resignation damaged his reputation and saw him start on the back foot with staff, councillors and the community. "Fortunately, several months before he passed away, Andrea called me to tell me that he no longer believed the story, and that he regretted believing it at the time. It was a lovely moment between us," Mr Bath said. "They say mud sticks, and it probably has to some degree. The 'old man in Belmont' reference still comes up every now and then, but I learnt a long time ago most people judge me based on how the city is performing rather than what other people tell them about me." Mr Bath said he did not speak publicly about Mr Robinson's admission at the time because he knew it was a lie. "The timeline of his story was based on a supposed conversation that took place before I'd even spoken with the recruiter about the job," he said. "I told Robbo when we spoke for the first time that I was willing to move forward. That meant putting it behind us." Four years on from Mr Robinson's tenure, Mr Bath said he still answers his calls. "In terms of going forward, it's nice to have the story put to bed and the truth known," he said. 'Robbo' was not eligible to stand for council in the 2024 elections because he was banned from holding civic office for two years, for misconduct the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal deemed "grossly homophobic" and "discriminatory". The tribunal found Mr Robinson had made a series of abusive comments towards fellow councillors between 2019 and 2020.
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- The Advertiser
If you could run a Newcastle council meeting, how would you do it?
CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings. The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them. That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public. City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election. Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings. "The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said. "We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered." The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines. The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions. It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community. "Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said. City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September. The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website. CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings. The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them. That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public. City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election. Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings. "The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said. "We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered." The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines. The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions. It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community. "Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said. City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September. The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website. CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings. The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them. That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public. City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election. Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings. "The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said. "We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered." The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines. The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions. It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community. "Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said. City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September. The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website. CITY of Newcastle has asked community members for their input into the set of rules that govern council meetings. The Code of Meeting Practice applies to all Newcastle council meetings and covers all aspects of them. That includes the agenda, order of business, rules of debate and voting, the timing and notification of meetings, who can attend, and the way they are recorded and broadcast to the public. City of Newcastle director of corporate services David Clarke said NSW laws required all councils to accept a Code of Meeting Practice, based on the prescribed model, within 12 months after an election. Mr Clarke said it was "timely" that the review was coming after the Davidson independent review, which made findings and recommendations into the conduct of Newcastle council meetings. "The draft code also contains some additional clauses and changes to align with City of Newcastle practices and procedures," he said. "We're asking community members to take a look at the code and share their thoughts on the provisions, as well as any changes they think should be considered." The findings in the Davidson review related to council meetings included that management, or chairing, would benefit from greater structure and clearer adherence to speaking timelines. The report detailed how meetings have extended beyond six hours and into the early hours of the morning on several occasions. It also found that clarifying chief executive officer (CEO) Jeremy Bath's role in council meetings could enhance understanding among councillors and the community. "Additionally, there is an opportunity to further strengthen the professional relationship between the lord mayor, councillors, and the CEO to support effective governance," the review said. City of Newcastle will review submissions received during the public exhibition period for the draft Code of Meeting Practice and prepare a summary to be included in a report to the council meeting in September. The draft will be considered adopted without a further report if no submissions are received by 5pm on Wednesday, September 3, 2025. Community members can make submissions on the Have Your Say page on City of Newcastle's website.
The Advertiser
22-07-2025
- The Advertiser
From Dubai to Stockton, an international dredge sought for massive sand replenishment project
A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW. Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget. Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender. The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package. "That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said. "The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand." It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project. "We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said. "We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame." Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term. The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion. The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management. The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan. With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification. Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term. "I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said. Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline. "Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said. A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW. Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget. Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender. The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package. "That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said. "The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand." It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project. "We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said. "We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame." Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term. The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion. The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management. The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan. With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification. Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term. "I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said. Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline. "Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said. A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW. Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget. Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender. The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package. "That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said. "The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand." It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project. "We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said. "We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame." Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term. The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion. The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management. The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan. With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification. Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term. "I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said. Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline. "Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said. A dredge used to build islands in Dubai could be brought in for the massive job of putting more than a million cubic metres of sand on Stockton Beach - the first ever project of its kind to be undertaken in NSW. Stockton Beach Special Advisory Panel chairman Tim Crakanthorp said he was hopeful a tender for the project would be called in early 2026 following the state government's commitment of $21.5 million in last month's budget. Tuesday's panel meeting was updated on the status of several environmental studies that need to be completed as well as licences that need to be obtained before the project can be put to tender. The studies have been funded by a joint $6.2 million City of Newcastle - federal government funding package. "That money has paid for a great deal of research on whether to get the sand from offshore or on the north arm of the Hunter River," Mr Crakanthrop said. "The north arm does have a number of metres of very dark mud and silt associated with it, which will probably mean the beautiful sand underneath won't be easily accessed. We are looking offshore at this point to get the offshore sources of sand." It was initially hoped that sand could be pumped onto Stockton Beach in late 2026. However, Mr Crakanthrop said on Tuesday that the large number of variables made it difficult to put an exact timeframe on the project. "We're working as hard as we can in terms of the environmental impact study, in terms of the licenses. All things going well, we hope to get those done this year or early next year," he said. "We then put out a tender for the large dredge. They go around the world. If they are available and we get a good tender, we go from there. Unfortunately, we can't give a definitive time frame." Tuesday's meeting also saw the state government agree to actions in the City of Newcastle's Extended Stockton Coastal Management Program, which will help address coastal erosion in the longer term. The government will create a framework to deliver ongoing sand top-ups as part of a strategy designed to buffer the coastline from erosion. The government will also develop and implement an innovative coastal monitoring system to inform long-term sand and beach management. The extended CMP builds on $21.5 million allocated in this year's state to deliver mass sand nourishment identified in the original 2020 Stockton coastal management plan. With all actions in the CMP now assigned, the program will be put to City of Newcastle councillors for adoption before it is submitted to Minister for Climate Change, Energy and Environment, Penny Sharpe, for certification. Newcastle lord mayor Ross Kerridge said the extended Stockton coastal management plan would establish a pathway for the delivery, funding and maintenance of mass sand nourishment, while planning and delivering urgent protection works for critical public assets in the short term. "I thank Mr Crakanthorp for his many years advocating for the needs of Stockton, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration that works towards resolving this community's coastal erosion issues," he said. Mr Crakanthorp welcomed the agreement to allocate the outstanding actions to guide the long-term management of the iconic coastline. "Getting sand back on the beach has always been my focus, and I am committed to keeping the community updated on this project and ensuring my $21.5 million election commitment is used efficiently and effectively to deliver the best outcomes for the beach and for the Stockton community," he said.
