Draft Minutes for the Berry Forum Meeting
Held 26 June2025 7:30pm at the Uniting Church Hall 

Present: 35 people attended
Apologies: Mayor Patricia White; Deputy Mayor Peter Wilkins

Welcome and Introduction: Ian Hendry (Chair)
Minutes from meeting held on 17 April 2025: Approved

Condition of Shoalhaven’s roads

Ian Hendry presented slides previously prepared by Council staff for presenting to the CCBs Executive meeting. The subject matter covered the difference between a road pavement and road surface, road pavement and surface failure indicators, how the condition of every road in the Shoalhaven has been measured, and the resulting insights. Benchmarking results were provided and next steps for road sealing and renewal program were explained.

Union claim that 30% of employees face the axe
Stuart Coughlan explained the background to the recommendation of the following Key Performance Measure of Employee Costs per Capita (ECC) that was agreed by Council –
Target ECC of a maximum of 20% above the average of the other ten councils in the Office of Local Government’s Group 5 list.

Financial data was presented that showed Council’s employee costs for the first three quarters of 2024/25 would result in an ECC only 24% above the Group 5 average compared to the full year Forecast of 34%. This demonstrated that most of the employee cost savings required had already been achieved and there was no basis for the Union claim.

Berry HCA and DCP updates
Stuart advised the Planning Proposal for the Princess St Heritage Conservation Area has been given Gateway approval by the Dpt of Planning subject to consultation with the RFS. The HCA proposal will soon go on public exhibition together with the draft new chapter for Berry in the SDCP.

Local Character
Stuart advised that at the next Council meeting on 22 July, a recommendation will be made to start work on local plan codes for Shoalhaven similar to those used in Queensland council LEPs.

55 Wire Lane subdivision approval
Stuart explained the background to the DA approval, following the previous refusal by the Dpt. of Planning of a proposal to rezone the subject land from rural to residential in 2020.

General Business
Council have advised Tourist Rd will be closed for 9am to 3pm on 29/30 July for tree clearance.
Irene Birks advised that NSW Health are inviting the community to participate in focus group discussions in Berry during July

Meeting closed 8.40 pm.  Next Forum Meeting – 4 September