First council meeting: political tribes put aside their differences

Campbelltown Council has launched into its new term with one of the most constructive meetings in years.

Which is just as well because there was a packed gallery to witness it.

It was also the first time residents were able to address council on issues which affected them.

The standout performance on Tuesday night came from the leader of the Liberal Party, Councillor George Greiss.

He judged all issues on their merits and when Cr Greiss intervened it was to offer an improvement on the wording of another councillor’s motion or amendment.

The acrimony that was prevalent in the previous four year term seemed to have evaporated as all factions put their differences aside and instead sought out the middle ground.

There were one or two exceptions, but they were minor.

The new mayor, Labor’s George Brticevic, ran the meeting with confidence and with fairness in all of his rulings.

As did veteran councillor Meg Oates when she stepped into the hot seat for the Caledonia rezoning application.

It’s early days, but based on just this one performance, there is no doubt that Cr Brtcevic will not only be mayor for the entire four years but turn out to be one of the best to hold that prestigious office.

As to the decisions made on the night, it went as expected, with council voting to explore legal avenues to appeal the rezoning allowing a cemetery in Varroville.

This is one of the motions where Cr Greiss intervened to improve the wording, and with which Cr Brticevic agreed and thanked the Liberal Party leader.

Other decisions included:

• Supporting Cr Warren Morrison’s push for buses in Blaxland Road;

• Backing the mayor’s plan to rip up dilapidated tennis courts in Rosemeadow and replacing them with a multi-purpose sport centre;

• Approving the rezoning of almost 50 acres of land in Ingleburn (known as Caledonia) for 170 new housing lots, down from the 249 in an earlier proposal put to council;

• Giving the green light to an application for a four storey boarding house with 18 rooms in Iolanthe Street, Campbelltown;

• Welcoming the confirmation that the Federal Government would be keeping its election promise to spend $50 million for improvements to Appin Road, from Rosemeadow to the Appin township. Councillors were told that this was on top of State plans for $40 million worth of improvements to the road that has claimed many lives;

• Approving plans for a major new Catholic church in Demetrius Road, Rosemeadow, which will have seating for more than 500 people;

• Continuing to fight for noise barriers for people living adjacent to the rail line in Ingleburn.

♦ The next Campbelltown Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 8 from 6.30pm.