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Groundskeeper decision deferred

 

The Gosford Council has deferred its decision to employ a groundskeeper full time at the Umina Beach reserve.

Instead, it has called for a report regarding the level of services to parks and reserves city-wide, including the Umina Beach precinct.

Crs Lynne Bockholt and Judith Penton voted against deferring the matter, however all other councillors were in favour.

Cr Malcolm Brooks said: "We have been increasing the city's assets but not spending money on looking after them.

"I'm not happy about restricting these resources to just the one reserve."

Cr Lynne Bockholt spoke about the condition of the Umina reserve.

"This is the result of lots of complaints to me.

"It is a great pity to see the reserve in such a state through lack of maintenance.

"It is full of broken glass, syringes and rubbish, and nobody makes an effort to clean it up because all of the workers are snowed under," Cr Bockholt said.

"I agree with Cr Brooks that we need a maintenance plan."

Cr Craig Doyle expressed concerns about the cost.

"I agree this area does need work, but it's symptomatic of a problem over the whole area.

"There are no parks anywhere in the city where there is too much money being spent, but how can we spend more on this without taking money from elsewhere?

"We need some sort of sinking fund for a maintenance plan."

Jonathan Reichard, Council agenda NM.018, October 22