Update on council projects for the Kempsey Shire

Kempsey Shire mayor, Liz Campbell, said she is proud the community have pushed through the difficult times over the past six months.

"There has been a lot that has happened during the first half of this year and the community have really stepped up," she said.

Kempsey Shire Council have also worked on and completed a number of projects during the first half of 2020.

"We have taken the positives out of COVID-19 restrictions and really used that time to progress a number of projects throughout the shire."

Some of the projects council have worked on and completed in the past six months include a number of road upgrades across the Macleay, the demolition of the old Back Creek Footbridge and upgrades to toilet facilities at South West Rocks.

"The feedback we have received on these projects from the community have been really positive," mayor Campbell said.

There are also projects currently being completed that mayor Campbell said are progressing well.

"Monument Walkway at South West Rocks is one project we're looking forward to finishing as well as the reserve and foreshore project at Stuarts Point.

"There are also a number of future projects that currently have plans on exhibition including the Kemp Street and Service Clubs Park masterplans, Point Plomer Road environmental plan and the drought management plan.

"The bushfire and drought recovery plans are projects we've been working on throughout this time as well and have been progressing with them."

The COVID-19 pandemic has also been at the forefront for council over the past few months.

"We unfortunately had to cancel our ladies lunch out at Willawarrin and the Bushfire Parade and Concert due to restrictions, but we're in talks with the RFS as to how we can show our thanks and are looking at progressing with those two events when we can," mayor Campbell said.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions easing across the state, council have been able to re-open a number of services in the Macleay.

"Community halls, libraries and council's customer service centre have all started to re-open, but are running at reduced hours," mayor Campbell said.

"What the restrictions did do was make us look at how we provide services for the community. The community have made use of the online booking system for the library which is great. We will be continuing these types of services into the future."

Council will also be allowing public galleries back at the July council meeting, while adhering to social distancing rules.

"One thing that was impacted by restrictions was our community catch-ups which we will continue once we're able to do so."

Due to COVID-19 local council elections were also postponed until 2021.

"We would have been starting to look at and prepare for the September council election if the decision hadn't been made to postpone until next year," mayor Campbell said.

"We have achieved a number of projects that we set out to at the beginning of this term of council.

"All of the councillors took the decision to postpone the election in their stride and it wouldn't have been possible to have the election with the bushfire recovery and decisions being made surrounding COVID."

Council will now focus on the next 12 months before the September 2021 elections.

"There's a number of projects that will keep us busy over the next year. We'll stay on top of upcoming projects and look at how we can come back stronger after the pandemic."