The annual Christmas tree lighting in Liverpool’s Macquarie Mall will this year be held on Thursday, December 8.
The celebrations will begin at 4pm with a live performance from Gang of Brothers, followed by the fashion show by retail businesses Millers, Stiches and Domenique, performances by local schools, Santa and Cinderella’s Christmas show and the Christmas Tree Lighting at 8pm.
Mayor Wendy Waller said the evening also presented the perfect occasion to thank all 47 Macquarie Mall businesses for their ongoing cooperation and patience throughout the mall’s redevelopment.
“Council appreciates the patience and cooperation shown by each and every one of these businesses during the last 18 months,” she said.
♦ In other local news, Liverpool Council has been honoured for “outstanding commitment to planning reform in local government”.
It has won the 2016 NSW Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) award for Planning Excellence in the Improving Planning Processes and Practices category for its eDA (Electronic Development Application) project.
The award recognises the achievements of planners, planning authorities and development entities in translating good planning policy into improved processes and practices in the workplace and on the ground.
Cr Waller said the award was indicative of council’s forward-thinking approach to planning reform across the state.
“Liverpool Council is leading the way when it comes to planning in NSW and our recently rolled-out FastTrack program is a perfect example of that,” Mayor Waller said.
The judging panel noted that FastTrack provided 98 per cent faster assessment, lodgements and correspondence times and highlighted the 100 per cent satisfaction rating users had with the online development assessment tool.
The FastTrack program was launched in July 2015 and has seen waiting times for applications drop from an average of 104 days to just five.
Liverpool Council was also awarded a commendation in the 2016 National Growth Areas Alliance Awards in the Building Communities category for the Carnes Hill Community and Recreation Precinct.
