LATEST BUSINESS NEWS

POPULATION
Footpaths and the verges in our towns and villages are owned in common, by us. And yet most of us who have lovely gardens and homes, who have obvious pride in our private dwellings, will say, why spend money on the Village?

Why? Because, by becoming a more attractive destination for people seeking a rural lifestyle, ratepayers are increasing the value of their own title holdings, their investment. It is also, most importantly, a gesture and gift to future generations.

By not investing in our common spaces we short-change our selves, and the future. By not enhancing the village we are here only for the ride.

Having a greater sense of our shared ownership gives us pride in this place. Having a greater sense of future residents, gives us a purpose beyond immediate self-serving interests.

Bungendore Village is a good example. If the grant application for underground electrification has been denied, (as seems likely) then in 20 years people will say, The Village looks great, but why the poles? They stick out like dogs . . . “

An elderly resident might recall that some people (back then) thought it was a waste of money, a low priority project. What was the high priority back then? someone asks. don’t remember might well be the answer. The future was never a priority, only immediate self-serving interests priorities – ours, right now!

So, these poles will be our gift to your future.

If the Bungendore town and Environs sub committee arrives at a plan that (1) includes a 20 year perspective for the Village that protects the village character in the short term, (2) anticipates the effects of population growth, (3) considers the interests of future residents, and (4) has wide public support, then such a plan would greatly assist in receiving infrastructure grants for the village.

We cannot expect to call the planning shots for the next 20 years. In five years our community may well reflect differing values from the Visioning workshops of some five years ago, and upon which we base many of our notions about village character and the like today.

In the first five to ten years all infrastructure such as underground electrification (or not) and a recycled water line, and footpaths should be installed and trees planted.

Minimal traffic infrastructure, achieved through speed bumps and line marking, that slows traffic, is bike and pedestrian friendly and maintains parking convenience – these measures are low cost, and are achievable now..

If population grows to such an extent that these minimal traffic measures are insufficient to cope with increased traffic, then many of the plans for engineered solutions, such as roundabouts and blisters, that are necessary in high traffic areas, have mostly been prepared for Council and are ready to be applied.

By factoring in a consequence of population increase in a village landscape and traffic management plan, the public is more fully informed. It means there is a choice. One wonders if all planning and development should have a population impact study. It would make planning more relevant to a realistic future.

However, while we have choices in the short term, our 20-year future will be decided by others.

How long can we realistically hold onto this charming little village? We may in 20 years time be a much changed demographic, with many Canberra commuters living in the Village (for lifestyle) and taking the train to Canberra Central Station.

A village located only 20 minutes by train to the Nation’s Capital will grow. The best we can do is plan for our immediate future, which also allows, and even anticipates, further planning responding to changed conditions that have not, or could not, be anticipated.

Federal and State Governments need to endorse their own planning strategies with grant funding, rather than requiring shires, like Palerang, to drastically increase the population to pay its way. Rate chasing is not planning. Rather, it subverts and mocks planning policy.

The Federal Government could fund the Region surrounding the Nation’s Capital showcasing our rural lifestyle with pride to international visitors.

It takes a vision, a more than 20-year vision. It starts from us, however. A sense of shared ownership of public spaces gives us pride of place. That pride means we care. And when we care enough, all manner of things can happen for the better.

by David Mac Laren
28 Jul 2010

TOWN ENTRY SIGNS - BACKGROUND

By David Mac Laren* and Tracy Lamont
*President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.

The Kings Highway to Discovery regional tourism project had a sign component in the original plan. This component covered information panels in the villages of Captains Flat, Majors Creek and Araluen along with better directional tourism signs for several of the regions National Parks, the total budget for this was $10,000.

Approximately two and a half years ago the then NSW Minister for Tourism, Matt Brown gave Palerang $7,000 for tourism related signage; the Federal Governments stimulus funding to Palerang at the beginning of 2009 was in the vicinity of $320,000, Council put aside $24,000 (approximately) for locality signage; funding awarded to Braidwood by the Heritage Office after Braidwood was Heritage Listed for tourism related projects, totalled $20,000, as at the beginning of 2009 the balance was around $10,000; Bungendore Chamber’s contribution of $4,000. The only ratepayer contribution is the cost of installation of the signs.

With this amount of money specifically allocated to tourism signage projects it made sense to approach Palerang Council from a cooperative Braidwood and Bungendore point of view to obtain the following objectives -

· To pool the money to obtain better value for money

· To make sure that the signage around the Palerang LGA had a consistent look, feel and message

· To give the towns, villages and locality’s of Palerang a feeling of unity and pride in the community along with a consistent message to our visitors and first time tourists

· To have one committee coordinating the entire project

As of May 2009 a committee was formed to oversee this project. It is made up of Louise Menday, head of Palerang Planning Dpt; Councillors Cockram and Crozier, David Maclaren of the Bungendore Chamber and Tracey Lamont project (the then manager of the KHTD) Chair of Braidwood & Villages Tourism.

The committee feels that the design of these signs expresses what is unique to each town -- Bungendore with its numerous galleries and gift shops, and Braidwood the Heritage listed town. These signs fit that bill along with other requirements, those being -

· The budget - $24,000 for the town entry signs

· Maintenance and longevity. The signs will be constructed out of 12mm steel acid washed, to give a ‘rusty’ look, hand cut shaping with a panel behind the text that has reflective vinyl for RTA requirements. Ongoing maintenance for these signs will be at an absolute minimum, their lifespan is somewhere between 10-20 years.

· Community input, for the public consultation process John Eglitas (the graphic artist) has put together boards of each sign ‘in situ’ with the height/width and other general information along with installation requirements. The Braidwood signs will replace the existing ones with Bungendore’s signs located on the Queanbeyan side of town on the Kings Highway, the second position is still to be decided, possibly the Braidwood side on the Kings Highway or on the Geary’s Gap entrance into town

· The Town Planning BTEC committee has discussed and approved the signs for both villages to go on display for public comment.

The whole process of achieving the committee’s initial objectives for this project has been met. Palerang LGA now has consistent locality signs and a plan on the board for town entry signs that are not only unique and representative of both towns but have come in on budget with no cost to Palerang’s ratepayers.

A job well done and a great example of working together to achieve common goals.

by Tracey Lamont and David Mac Laren

By David Mac Laren
President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Inc.

DRAFT TOWN CENTRE PLANS:
Chamber's Response to the Draft Bungendore Town Centre Plans on Public Exhibition until 2 June 2010

PROPOSED ROUNDABOUT AT ELLENDON & GIBRALTAR STREETS

Background
The proposed roundabout is intended to manage traffic at the intersection. Sightlines are obstructed with the present arrangement, and there is uncertainty as to how to proceed through the intersection. There are instances where vehicles make a U turn, and this introduces further uncertainties.

The proposed roundabout is intended to be a low level arrangement allowing large trucks to cross over the roundabout. There would be no opportunities for plantings or for public art in the roundabout.

This Proposal for a roundabout has been approved by the Palerang Traffic Committee.

Response
The proposed roundabout introduces a significant change to the grid pattern of the Village Centre Precinct. Does this alter the visual amenity of the village, and does it alter a heritage feature worth keeping?

This Proposed roundabout is contrary to the established character of the original grid layout of the Village. The grid layout of the Village is regarded as an identifying characteristic of Bungendore Village. It is of Heritage value and worth keeping.

When planning infrastructure solutions for pedestrian safety, the recommendations need achieve the least disruption to the existing surrounding character, consistent with pedestrian and vehicle safety, and compatible with a small rural working village.

Planning the traffic management for the intersection needs to take into account the street characteristics and vehicle patterns for both Gibraltar Street and Ellendon Streets.

All members of the BTEC Committee agreed that safety is the first priority issue for Gibraltar Street, and that traffic speed reduction is the most effective way of achieving pedestrian safety. The committee further agreed that speed humps and line marking will slow traffic considerably, and line marking will help with sightlines for people crossing the street from the central parking zone. It was further agreed that having a wide raised crossing linking the supermarket and hotel truck access drive ways would in effect become a shared zone for truck access and a safe crossing for pedestrians.

(It was noted by Bill Ellison that RTA would not approve line marking that sets out parallel parking arrangements, and it was unclear if that included alignment lines for the central parking.)
Traffic can be managed at the intersection using line marking. Traffic can move into the intersection and stop at a bold stop line, (and a stop sign if needed), and from there proceed when oncoming traffic is clear. Turning into the intersection can be aided using dotted white lines to indicate a normal right turn, and dotted lines allowing a u-turn.

This convention is used on Northbourne Avenue at intersections without traffic lights, as well as those with lights.

If vehicle speed is reduced considerably on Gibraltar Street, then both local and destination traffic will be discouraged from using Gibraltar other than for stopping, typically quite briefly and then leaving. And that in itself improves pedestrian safety.

A line marking management solution for the intersection is appropriate for a working rural village. If the population increases, and if Bungendore becomes characterised as an exurban town, a roundabout may well be appropriate and needed.

TREES PLANTED ON ELLENDON STREET IN KERBED BOXES

Background
These trees will be the same or similar to the mature elm trees in the “Civic Precinct”.
The trees will become large enough in 20 years with a canopy that will provide shade for at most two parked cars for each tree during the heat of a summer’s day on the Western side of Central Ellendon Street.

When the trees mature they will create a common and pleasing theme for the Village if they are similarly planted in western Gibraltar Street as well. The mature trees in the “Civic Precinct” will need to be replaced.

A further planting of elms in kerbed boxes the entire length of Gibralter Street, including the Civic Precinct, would complete a strong themed look for the Village.
Having trees protrude into the parking zone will slow traffic speeds.

Response
If planting large similar trees in kerbed boxes is applied throughout the Village, this would be a major alteration, and not in keeping with the original grid layout of the Village.

If the kerbed tree plan is applied only to Ellendon Street, the thematic connection is less evident.
Trees planted in kerbed boxes in parking zones is a common feature for many suburban applications, as well as towns (and some small towns). This commonplace feature reduces the unique, and identifying characteristics of a rural village.

The Chamber believes that trees should be planted according to the given physical characteristics and limitations of the particular street section. It is a distortion to plant trees in the street because there is no other place to put them due to various restrictions.
The planning assumption that large deciduous trees define the village with a visual uniformity of character is not shared by the Chamber’s Plan, preferring each precinct of the Village Centre to evolve with its own character.

The proposed trees will not offer adequate shade until semi mature with a wide canopy (in approximately 20 years). We have no idea what our car parking arrangements will be then.
The infrastructure restraints of the Western verge of Central Ellendon Street allow for planting shallow rooted trees about 500mm from the kerb. This line of trees will offer effective shade in the most intense heat of the summer day. A strong line of trees complements the existing streetscape.

Planning guidelines may not approve of plantings one half meter from the kerb. Planning guidelines are generally intended for contemporary applications, not heritage streetscapes with existing infrastructure restrictions.

Traffic guidelines now prefer trees to be planted well back from the road, the distance a matter of speed of traffic. Planting trees in the road may well be a risk factor outweighing the claimed effect of slowing traffic.

A line of shallow rooted trees a half meter from the kerb implies the verge will remain a wide verge, not partially lost to angle parking sometime in the future. This planting can begin immediately.

The six meter wide grassed verge is a defining and pleasing characteristic of west Central Ellendon Street.

The Bungendore Rural Village is a Brand. It is our identity. If we dilute that brand, there will be an erosion of the economic benefits that comes with that character.

The proposal for eight large deciduous trees (four for each side of Central Ellendon Street) does not respect the existing and desired future character of the immediate streetscape and the township.

The Chamber supports planning that is consultative, and respects the professional obligation to consult those most affected by a proposal, to address their concerns as (if they were) the primary clients.

We see the proposal as a well intended effort to extend the heritage of the pioneer trees. The pioneer trees are indeed a valuable characteristic of the time and place of planting. A replica in other sections may be considered a forced application of a noble impulse.

PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS AT MALBON AND ELLENDON STREETS

Background
The Proposal offers pedestrian crossing safety as well as allowing traffic to move aside while turning traffic is stopped awaiting clearance to complete a turn. The infrastructure is a raised concrete platform (approximately 100 to 150 mm high). There is a break in the platform offering a pedestrian refuge. There may be a “U” shaped pipe as indicator of a pedestrian refuge.

It is a fair assumption that the proposed design would conform to Australian Standards for the RTA.

The RTA has not been submitted the plans for this intersection.

Response
Does this Plan satisfy the requirements and expectations of Clause 21a? Does this infrastructure alter the streetscape significantly. It does.

This intersection is a defining entrance to Bungendore. In some measure this intersection defines the village of Bungendore.

This infrastructure signals that Bungendore is content to anticipate continued traffic increases, inadvertently contributing to further deferral of any planned Bungendore by-pass.

This plan has not been considered by the Palerang Traffic Committee.

The middle of the road pedestrian refuge offers safety from traffic going in both directions at very close distances to the pedestrians. I believe this is an inappropriate offer of risk in some traffic conditions.

The middle of the road refuge encourages the pedestrian to only look right, rather assess the entire road from both directions.

One can feel trapped standing in a refuge with only a small diameter pipe guard as a barrier, a meter or so close to traffic on both sides.

As a pedestrian crossing at this inter-section, the low platform structures interfere with clear sight lines of on-coming traffic in both directions. Clear sightlines allow one to assess distances and vehicle speed.

Similarly, for a driver, these structures interfere with a clear assessment of the intersection dynamics. This visual confusion or complexity reduces the visual presence of the pedestrian.
A simple resolution is to retain the present intersection as is. This allows safe pedestrian decision making. The present arrangement offers driver sightlines that allows pedestrian prominence of attention.

Unabated long lines of traffic make it difficult to cross the street with ease. One must sometimes wait some minutes, as do the drivers waiting at the intersection.

There is no justification for two pedestrian crossings. The west pedestrian crossing is superfluous, and displaces five valuable and convenient parking spaces. A justification for this design of a crossing is that it allows through traffic to pass turning traffic that is stopped waiting for a break in the oncoming traffic. There is relatively little traffic that turns right travelling south into Ellendon Street.

It is questionable that the eastern crossing encourages a bank-up of right turning traffic going north into Ellendon Street. If the traffic backs up far enough, it will create a bottle neck and halt through traffic.

A by-pass will reduce traffic considerably. The intersection will no longer be classed as a highway. When this happens the intersection can regain its true heritage function as a village intersection. Highway pedestrian crossing infrastructure as proposed would be inappropriate in the event there is a by-pass of the Village.

David Mac Laren
President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 25 May 2010

BUNGENDORE CHAMBER LETTER to LYN RENDELL 24 05 10

I share Lyn Rendell’s frustration with the galleries and arts related businesses in Bungendore.

The Chamber has sought their input for making Ellendon Street an “arts precinct” and for town planning in general. Very little interest and certainly no suggestions for an arts precinct, or even if the idea was desirable.

Recently we have lost the Cultural Tourism 355 Committee because there were not sufficient applications from people to join the Committee. Fortunately, when advertised a second time, there are now a number of applicants.

Council staff are ready to consider an “arts precinct” – if the community (of artists and galleries) are sufficiently ready with interest and commitment. It cannot be done for us.

I wonder sometimes if a number galleries and arts related businesses in Bungendore are just going along for the ride. The Chamber offered to pay for the graphics and printing of the Arts Trail. I would like to see the galleries work together to promote themselves by promoting each other. That did not happen.

David Mac Laren
President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce and Industry

LOCAL ENVIRONMENT PLAN - Letter to Council 3 April 2010

Village Infill Population Growth

Mr Mayor, you have said a few times in these [Local Environment Plan (LEP)] meetings that we cannot keep people from living here, that young families need a place to live. You said: we do not want to say "you are not welcome here."

I have been thinking about that. Are you saying we need to increase the availability of housing for those who wish to live here, can do so at an affordable price? Are you saying that we need to keep the value of our houses and properties at the same level or lower so that young families can live here? Are you saying that is what we want reflected in this LEP?

The current cost of land and houses in Bungendore (and Palerang), is a measure of the desire of people to live a rural lifestyle.

Are you saying we need we need to diminish the value of our holdings so that others can live here? Is this what we want from our LEP?

My daughter, Freya, would like to live here. I would like her to help take over the Wood Works Gallery. And she would like her two daughters, Arabella and Lulu, to go to the Bungendore School as she did. She cannot afford to live here. There are lots of places she and her partner cannot afford live.

So, I imagine my daughter coming to Bungendore in five years time, at the end of this LEP. I say to her the LEP, reflecting the views of the majority of the Councillors, encouraged rapid infill housing and increased population growth for Bungendore so that she can afford to live here.
I can imagine my daughter saying, “Thanks, dad, but its nothing like I remember. The school has six hundred kids, traffic is a hassle, its forty minutes to Queanbeyan. And houses aren’t that cheap. I really wish I could find a place like you found, like the place where I grew up.”
We had a choice, I can tell her. We could have deferred the development that results in population growth for five years, the duration of this LEP.

We all know that an increase in population will be accompanied by an increase in regulations, and restraints. If we have a further increase in population will see physical restrictions in the form of infrastructure for our village streets for traffic management and pedestrian safety, with blisters, bumps, and roundabouts. As a consequence we will have lost some of our amenity, the gloss, the desire to live here, because we have lost some of our uniqueness, our heritage. We lose because a cookie cutter approach has stamped out traffic management solutions that makes us look like everywhere else.

There is a common belief that “We have to grow.” By not growing – in population -- we become a more precious commodity. The desire to live here will not pass us by. It will intensify. It is time for us to pause in the growth of the population of Bungendore. This LEP will run for five years. Imagine devoting those five years to the development of our town centres. If we improve the ambience of our town centres and attend to the various assets that we all own, then we further increase the desire to live here. The greater the desire to live here, the more the value of our assets increase, both those we own privately, and those we share in common.

The Palerang Planning Department is under considerable pressure from applications for multi-residential infill development. I wish these applications could be put at back of the queue. I wish there was a way to prioritise Development Applications from residents for home improvements, single dwelling homes and for commercial developments.

States and territories often control the release of land in order to maintain or increase the value of the land sales and hence maintain or increase the rates on that land, and hence income for the government.

I suggest we take a pause in these LEP deliberations. I think we need to have a quiet word with our children. We have to ask ourselves: what are we passing on to our children. This is the true measure of value by any reckoning. Family. Land. Property. Buildings. Homes. Place. A measure of our lives. Our aspirations. What we leave behind for the future.
Mr Mayor, you and I both want things to be clearly stated. My views are starkly differing from yours and others here. I hope that these differences will lead to a better discussion. The question is: Will these discussions be read by our children in the future with approving nods, or will they shake their heads in dismay? It is up to us to talk to them.
David Mac Laren

OUR SHARED ASSETS

LOCAL ENVIRONMENT PLAN - Letter to Council
In reading comments in the Mirror about the LEP over these last weeks, I like the comment made by Cr Graham that “The ‘E’ in LEP refers to the neighbourhood and localities of the plan.” And while the word may have been “hijacked”, as Cr Graham says, to refer to the natural environment, I think it is very important to keep both meanings before us.

By mentioning the notion of ‘neighbourhood’ in our LEP planning, we then include people, and the way they live, and the impact of planning on how they live. The larger meaning of ‘environment’ might refer to systems that can be abstract and less immediate to most people’s concerns

Cr Graham also says the LEP and DCP are the road maps to economic development and prosperity for the Shire. In this light we need to be equally concerned about our assets, our community shared assets, as we do about other forms of economic development. The quality of our shared assets is a measure of our wealth too.

Our most important shared asset is our town and village centres. This is where we socialise, and engage in commercial and cultural activities. It is the most common to all-the-community asset we can have. And this notion fits perfectly when we say, as the first aim of the LEP plan “is to identify, protect and improve the social and cultural resources of Palerang.”

By identifying and protecting (in this case our heritage) and improving our shared assets, we all win. First, by improving the ambience of our neighbourhoods, we enhance the way we live day to day. By enhancing the desirability of our villages we increase the desirability to live here, to purchase a home and/or establish a business here.

An increase in demand increases the value of our holdings generally. This increases our wealth in a more robust way, a way that improves how we live, where we live, and why we live where we do.

I agree with Mayor Reynolds that “the best way to look after the environment is to encourage wealth.” I would like to add that it is equally true to say that the best way to look after our wealth is to look after the environment, both in its neighbourhood/locality meaning, and it’s wider meaning too.

By looking after our environment, both neighbourhood and wider, by investing in our existing assets, and by improving our shared assets, we grow wealth, and this prosperity is shared by all Palerang residents, both property owners and business owners.

David Mac Laren
President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc.
23 February 2010

THE BUNGENDORE DIRECTORY 2010 MARKS 16 YEARS OF PUBLICATION

The Bungendore Directory 2010 has recently been delivered to every house in Palerang as it has every year for16 years when Maurice Barnes first edited and published this Directory. The Bungendore Directory is entirely funded by its advertisers and has a distribution of over 5500, and it is free. We are very pleased to have thirty new advertisers requiring an increase of four pages to this year’s Directory.

The Bungendore Chamber of Commerce and Industry marks its 20th anniversary this year. The Bungendore Directory reflects the Chamber’s commitment to serve the local community and to our commitment to a very professional presentation of the Directory. If anyone knows of a better directory from a similar size community, anywhere in Australia, let us know so that we can improve our publication even more.

A very important feature of this Directory is that it contains the Community Services Directory, as it has since its inception. In this issue the Community Services Section accounts for about a third of the entire Directory. All these pages are paid for by the advertisers. In the early days the Community Services section accounted for about half the Directory.

The Bungendore Chamber does not see itself as a lobby group. We are not single-mindedly pursuing our member’s interests exclusively. We see our Chamber as a community group. We are aware of, and committed to, wider issues of the community that are not of direct self interest to our members.

An example is the Bungendore Chamber’s desire to work with Braidwood Village and Tourism Committee on various issues that are common to both towns. We certainly want to put to rest that old division card where someone plays one town off against the other. That is over.

Underground Electrification

There seems to be some noise about underground electrification as a waste of money. We are told that there are a number of people around town who think it is a waste, believing there are more important areas for an application for a grant .

I suggest we circulate a petition for signing by all those who think it is a waste of money, and for them to indicate where such a grant should have been applied for. I suggest that we bury that petition in the ground. I suggest that in ten years time that petition is unearthed and published.

Imagine the reaction. If we do get the grant for underground electrification, and if in fact that undergrounding has been achieved, will people then say “what a waste of money?” They may ask: “what was more important back then?” I think the general reaction will be one of profound appreciation for the vision and the guts to do this.

Imagine if we fail in securing this grant. In ten year’s time the above ground lines will be there. “Its so good that we have above ground lines.” And will they read the Petition names and say “what heroes they were. It was their vision that means we still have our cherished above ground power lines?”

Alcohol Free Zones

There were news reports recently concerning the violence in pubs in NSW, and Sydney particularly. Police, medical staff, and legal authorities have urged the NSW Government to get very tough on pubs, suggesting much stricter supervision of best practice in serving drinks, and importantly early closing of the bar to patrons who come to the pub after a specified time.
The Bungendore Chamber applauds these moves and takes satisfaction in that there was no recommendation for an alcohol Free to deal with this serious situation. As far as I know the alcohol Free Zone regulations are still being reviewed by the Minister, addressing a number of community concerns about the shortcomings of AFZ.

This vindicates the Chamber’s position arrived at after three public meetings, that AFZ simply do not work. It needs enforcement and that is exactly what Chamber and community members said in the first place.

David Mac Laren
President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce and Industry
8 April 2010

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OFFICER and a CULTURAL TOURISM s355 COMMITTEE

Letter to: Peter Bascombe, General Manager, Palerang Council - April 19 2010

A Cultural Tourism Committee is needed, first of all, to consider the impacts of tourism upon our villages, and to develop strategies that will result in high value tourism and avoid crowd tourism.

A Cultural Tourism Committee needs to collect and assess the cultural policies that other similar Councils have put in place, to recommend cultural policies and strategies that allows, and encourages cultural expression in Palerang villages.

For example, cultural guidelines would enable us to select and place sculptures from a future Weereewa Sculpture exhibition along our village streets for a set period of time. A simple and quite exciting project.

A cultural Tourism committee can coordinate existing and proposed events and festivals to avoid conflicting dates, and to promote inter village celebrations and events.

A cultural tourism committee can incorporate the duties of the recently disbanded Cultural Committee of Council.

A Cultural Tourism Committee will encourage coordination of town planning infrastructure development for Bungendore Village to accommodate cultural and tourist aspirations.

The Bungendore Chamber has approached a Tourism Consultant with thirty years experience to consider the choices before us to guide a more wise approach to tourism generally. The results of the consultant’s report will have more weight if there is a Cultural Tourism Committee to present the conclusions and recommendations to Council.

The Bungendore Chamber and the Braidwood Village Tourism are exploring ways to work together to sponsor a Tourism Conference that would seek to partner Queanbeyan, Goulburn, and NSW Tourism bodies. The topic for this conference would be the consultant’s report on tourism.

We are moving into a phase now where Bungendore Towns and Environs 355s Committee will need to seek funding on a range of projects. This is where an Economic Development Officer would be critical to our success in implementing these plans.

For example, we need funds to complete the cycle/walking path from Elsmlea to the Village, a quite short stretch that could easily be completed with appropriate funding.

If we do not have an Economic Development Officer, then the demanding task of applying for grants is left to the community. Without specialised expertise in applying for grants, we can only expect to have a second rate chance of success in our planning for the Village of Bungendore.

An Economic Development Officer, a Cultural Tourism Committee and the BTEC committee, all complement each other. We need all three to successfully implement the plans for our towns and villages. What is established for Bungendore Village will be applicable where appropriate, to other towns and villages in Palerang.

There is a much better chance of extending the achievements we make to Bungendore, to other villages, if we have established ongoing committees of Council and the community, and if we have an economic development officer.

During these deliberations on the LEP it is especially important for Council to be perceived as committed to follow through on planning in a practical way. This perception is important not only for the community, but for NSW Planning as well. Funding an Economic Development Office is an investment in sourcing funds to implement the planning of our future. It allows us to leave a meaningful legacy for Bungendore and Palerang.

David Mac Laren
President, Bungendore Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc
19 April 2010