This week the NSW government announced new housing targets which would see 5,900 new homes on the Northern Beaches to be completed by 2029.

We have always been prepared to take our fair share of the housing needed for Sydney’s future within our constraints and have done a lot of work to plan our growth in areas that can sustain it, such as the new Frenchs Forest town centre and around our transport hubs.

We are still analysing what the announcement means for our area but at face value it is heartening to see that the government has not applied a more unrealistic target.

We have always said we need infrastructure ahead of development and we’d urge the government to share how they will support infrastructure alongside these targets, in particular, transport infrastructure.

In the meantime, we have been having constructive conversations with the government on their proposed low and mid-rise housing reforms and expect them to announce a refinement of their policy soon.

On another note, the Northern Beaches is an environmentally conscious community, inspired by a passion to protect the beautiful beaches, bushland and native birds and animals that make our area so special.

But it can be overwhelming when trying to decide on what actions you can take to make a difference – like getting household solar or buying an electric vehicle, finding ways to reuse or recycle household waste, reducing energy consumption or even to know how to start to grow your own vegies.

So, I’m excited to be opening Council’s inaugural Net Zero Expo this Sunday. This is a great opportunity to talk to experts, road-test products, demystify solar and electric vehicles, and learn more about the circular economy and biodiversity.

See the full Net Zero Expo program and register to get your free ticket. And let's hope the weather is kind to us!

And a final reminder to have your say on Council’s proposed budget for the next 12 months – the date for submissions has been extended but must close Tuesday.

The draft budget allocates funding to deliver some important projects including stormwater management works to reduce flooding and pollution, critical structural repairs to rockpools, improvements in roads, footpaths, playgrounds and sporting fields, and trials of different options for the reuse, repair and recycling of household items.

Explore the map to see what’s planned for your area, review fact sheets on projects in the environment, footpath and roads and heath and recreation or do a deep dive into the full document. We really value your feedback.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

It’s National Volunteer Week, a chance to celebrate the many volunteers who make our community so special. From lifesavers to scout leaders, canteen helpers to counsellors, kids sports coaches to wildlife carers, every day across the Northern Beaches people give up their time for others.

I’m proud to say the Northern Beaches has a higher rate of volunteering (16.9%) than the greater Sydney average (11.6%) - we do have a strong culture of helping out.

A special thank you to all the volunteers who work with us here at Council. Over 900 volunteers work across 13 Council services, supporting environmental programs, Meals on Wheels, at the library, art gallery and museum and even tending our cemeteries. Our services are so much richer for the commitment, knowledge and sense of community our volunteers bring.

And we know our volunteers get a lot out of it too! If you have some spare time and would like to volunteer with us, we’d love to hear from you. Right now we have opportunities in bushcare, at Manly Visitor Information Centre and for the Manly Dam Mountain Bike track, to name a few. Find out how to get involved.

Over the next few weeks we also have the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and peoples on Sorry Day, Reconciliation Week and through the local Gai-mariagal Festival.

It’s a time to reflect on the ongoing legacy of the Stolen Generation and how we can play a part in the healing process but also learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

You can join a number of local events including weaving workshops, bushtucker tasting or hear Bruce Pascoe and Lyn Harwood in conversation with Susan Moylan Coombs at Glen Street Theatre. See all the Reconciliation Week events.

Finally, a reminder to have your say on Council’s budget for next financial year and let us know what projects you would like to see prioritised.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

Here at Council we are strong advocates for getting people out of cars and onto bikes, easing local traffic, improving health and reducing emissions.

However, the increasing prevalence of e-bikes is a real safety issue and many in our community are concerned about how they are being used on our footpaths and shared paths.

That’s why this week we launched an extensive e-bike safety education campaign which asks riders to abide by a simple code to keep themselves and the community safe: 

• Slow down to walking pace when others are on the path 
• Ring your bell and call ‘on your right’ to let others know you’re approaching 
• Be ready for sudden changes – people, pets and prams can be unpredictable 

You’ll see the campaign roll out through signage on our bike paths, in our schools, on social media, online, in local bike shops and through the media.

Councils are not the regulating authority for e-bikes but we do have a role to play in community education and we are fortunate to have the backing of the local police, Bicycle NSW and local schools. This is a shared issue which requires all our attention and will be most effective when we are all reinforcing it.

I believe this campaign is a Council-first across the country and I am proud the Northern Beaches is taking the lead on this important issue. Please share it through your networks and help get the message out.

We are also continuing our advocacy with the state and federal governments in the background, calling for a statewide education campaign with a focus on young riders, a review of the relevant road rules, better monitoring and control of the importation of non-compliant bikes and the introduction of a simple way to identify both legal and illegal bikes through a compliance plate or similar.

Finally, a shout out to local young surfer Jordy Lawler who took the Sydney Surf Pro men’s title this week at North Narrabeen - his first-career Challenger Series victory. So great to see a local surfer win this prestigious international event which Council supports, alongside the Gold Coast's Isabella Nichols. Congratulations to them both.

Mayor Sue Heins

A very happy Mother’s Day to all the mums and grandmas for Sunday. I hope you are all spoiled! And for those looking for last minute gift ideas, you can’t beat our local boutiques, nurseries, experiences and food and beverage offerings. If you are in need of some inspiration, check out our local Mother’s Day guide.

We have a range of projects across the area which are currently on public exhibition and we’d love input from the community.

You can now view the draft North Narrabeen Reserve Plan of Management which proposes a range of sporting, community and recreational improvements, including sportsfield upgrades and lighting, a play and recreation space for children and young people and new accessible amenities.

Our Budget and Delivery Program are open for comment until 2 June and there are a range of dates and locations where our team will be available to answer all your questions.

We’re in the first stages of updating the Governor Phillip Park Plan of Management and would love to hear from a range of people who use the park – we have an online ideas board and a survey ready to collect your thoughts. You can view the draft masterplan for Warringah Recreation Centre at North Manly or see what changes are proposed to parking at the Manly Seniors Centre carpark.

Feedback on the concept designs for the Jamieson Park Sports Amenities Building at Narrabeen and the Long Reef boardwalk and bridge replacement plans close on Sunday. And you can also have your say on the remedial works planned for Taylors Point Wharf and a road safety improvement for Cabbage Tree Rd at Bayview.

Our projects are enhanced when we hear from a cross section of the community, and I’d encourage all residents to get involved in the projects of interest to you. Councillors do read the consultation reports and your comments and feedback really assist in our decision making when projects come before Council.

Finally, with local government elections coming up in September, now is the time to think about putting your name forward if you’d like to be a candidate. I can say it is an absolute honour and privilege to serve your local community in this way. Find out more about the local government election process and register now for our candidate information session in June.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

Each year Council releases the draft budget and proposed program of works for the next financial year for community input.

Our proposed 2024/25 budget has a focus on resilience and sustainability, prioritising projects and services that support and strengthen our community and environment in a challenging economic and environmental climate.

It balances the need to respond to the increasing occurrence of storms, floods and coastal erosion, and their impact on infrastructure, while maintaining the services and activities valued by our community.

It will deliver some important projects including stormwater management works to reduce flooding and pollution, flood mitigation works on Wakehurst Parkway, trials of circular economy initiatives for reuse, repair and recycling of household items, critical structural repairs to rockpools and improvements in roads, footpaths, playgrounds and sporting fields.

Council is not immune to growing pressure on our financial sustainability and the rising costs of materials, contracts, and construction. We continue to work hard to find ways to offset cost pressures while maintaining our services and assets. In recent years we have reviewed fees, found efficiency gains and cost savings, including over $2.4 million in savings in the last two years and within this proposed budget.

The draft budget will be available for review from Friday 3 May, including suburb by suburb snapshots and subject fact sheets so you can see what is planned for the whole area. You can also attend one of the information sessions to ask more or have your questions answered. Consultation will be open until 2 June.

In other news this week, disaster assistance has been extended to the Northern Beaches local government area following heavy rainfall and flooding at the beginning of April. The assistance measures are being provided by the Federal and NSW Governments through the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and includes grants for eligible residents to replace essential household items or undertake structural repairs. Find out more about disaster assistance and apply.

Have a great weekend,

Mayor Sue Heins

With both housing and rental prices on the rise, affordable housing is a huge issue here on the Northern Beaches, and it’s only getting worse. It makes it hard for our kids to be able to raise families here and hampers our ability to attract key workers like teachers, bus drivers and health care staff.

Supporting sustainable growth will help alleviate these pressures alongside measures we have introduced like affordable housing targets on new developments.

At Council we have spent the last 4 years working alongside our community to develop our housing strategy and carefully plan sustainable growth based on extensive traffic, transport, hazards and workforce studies, as we prepare our new Local Environment Plan for the Northen Beaches. The Government’s plan disregards this work and community input and applies a one size fits all approach to housing in all of Sydney.

The NSW Government’s solution to the issue has the potential to do real damage to the character of our area with increased density and building heights where transport and infrastructure can’t support it.

It’s important our community really understand what’s at stake, which is why we are hosting information sessions in every Council ward in the coming weeks. I strongly encourage you to register to attend one of the sessions near you to learn more and find out how the proposals will impact you.

And a friendly reminder school is back next week which means 40km/hour school zones apply.

Have a great weekend.

Mayor Sue Heins

I know all of you will share in sending condolences to the loved ones of all those who lost their lives in the violent incident at Bondi last weekend.

For people to be killed so violently while simply going about their daily lives on an average Saturday is an unimaginable tragedy. Our hearts go out to them.

We also recognise the incredibly brave actions of NSW Police and other emergency services on the scene and to all those everyday heroes whose actions prevented more lives from being lost.

While we will await the details of the full investigation, the ailing state of mental health support in our country should be acknowledged. I commend the NSW Premier for his commitment to looking at the mental health system as part of the formal investigation.

Next Thursday we commemorate ANZAC Day, recognising the many men and women, past and present, who serve in our armed forces. We thank them for their courage, compassion and commitment to our country.

Council will host two dawn services and an 11am service which complement the many other events RSLs and others are hosting across the area. I encourage to find an ANZAC Day march or service near you.

Finally, good luck to all the young bands competing in the Northern Composure grand final this Saturday! We have some incredible young musicians who have won this event in the past and gone on to national and international success.

Have a great weekend.

Mayor Sue Heins

A shout out this week to State Emergency Service (SES), NSW Police and all in the community who pulled together in the face of the bucketing rain and floods last week. At Council we had crews out all weekend attending to blocked drains, managing traffic and road closures, assessing damage, monitoring conditions and backing up the great work of the SES removing fallen trees.

Incidents like this really showcase the incredible community spirit here on the Northern Beaches, with neighbour reaching out to neighbour and our wonderful local SES volunteers out in the elements, supporting the most vulnerable.

We are celebrating Youth Week this month with some fantastic events, workshops and activities aimed at 12- to 24-year-olds. There’s a young writers’ competition, inflatable obstacle course, open mic night, 3x3 basketball comp, second hand market, plus screen printing, car maintenance and managing money workshops. Check out the full program.

And good luck to all those competing in the semi-finals of Northern Composure, our youth band comp. I’m looking forward to the grand final later this month, supporting popular headline act The Grograns.

With school holidays upon us, there are still spots available in our vacation care program, or see our school holiday guide for some suggestions on how to keep your kids busy.

Have a great weekend.

Mayor Sue Heins

With significant rainfall predicted over the next few days, please prepare if you are in a flood-prone area. Never drive through flood waters, follow the advice of SES and stay safe.

A thriving local economy generates local jobs and promotes diversity in local business, supporting the vibrant local culture we all love.

Last year a staggering $3.6billion was spent by locals outside our local area – much of it in Chatswood and the city in businesses similar to those you can find on your doorstep.

That’s why this week we are launching the Go Local to Grow Local campaign, promoting the benefits of shopping locally.

We’ll be highlighting the diverse array of local services, dining and shopping options. Look out for distinctive green stickers in shop windows and on social media encouraging the community to shop local.

I encourage you to help by leaving an online review on your favourite local business, share and like them on social media, recommend them to friends and family, and use local tradespeople.

On a more sombre note, last week your elected Council renewed our Gambling Harm Minimisation Policy and went a step further by committing to look for opportunities to eliminate gambling advertising on Council property where possible.

Many people participate in gambling activity without it impacting their lives. But for others it can result in significant financial, emotional and psychological harm.

At Council we can play an important role in minimising the harm caused by gambling through education, advocacy and supporting local gambling help agencies.

Problem gambling is not just an individual problem, but a major social issue that impacts individuals, their families and the broader community. I am proud that Council is doing all that we can to reduce these impacts.

Have a great weekend.

Mayor Sue Heins