Monthly Report - March 2023
Chatty Café
The City of Bayswater Community Centres invite you to Chatty Cafés, a program designed to connect and support older adults in the community. Attend a session at the Bayswater or Morley Community Centre to meet new people and enjoy a chat over coffee and cake ($2 a session).
Chatty Café – Bayswater Community Centre
Thursdays, 10 – 11.30am
27 King William Street, Bayswater
Chatty Café – Morley Community Centre
First and third Mondays of each month, 10 – 11.30am
6A Blades Close, Morley
New and familiar faces are welcome to come along and learn about the range of activities, events and programs on offer for older adults within the community. Both Community Centres are accessible and offer free parking. The Chatty Café program forms part of the City of Bayswater’s Age Friendly Strategy 2021-2025.
Find out more at the link: https://www.bayswater.wa.gov.au/communitycentres
City of Bayswater Urban Forest
The City of Bayswater is one step closer to realising its goal of creating an urban forest at the ever-popular Riverside Gardens, following Council’s decision to partner with environmental experts Greening Australia.
The urban forest project will support biodiversity, reduce the urban heat island effect and increase tree canopy in the region. It will also improve water quality for the Bayswater Brook catchment and establish endemic plants.
A big thank you to both our Mayor Filomena Piffaretti and CEO Jeremy Edwards for their active lobbying behind the scenes for what could be a potential fantastic outcome for our City. I will report on that more once there is a firm deal in place.
Vision for the State Lunch
In February I attended the Ministers announcement of the next tranche of planning reforms.
Mark McGowan started with the statement that “This government supports infill” and reiterated that they “aren’t afraid of infill”.
The Tranche covers:
The Planning and Development Act 2005 will be amended to change the composition and operation of the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC), and establish a permanent pathway for assessment of development proposals of State and regional significance.
The Act will be amended to refine provisions established for the temporary Part 17 process and create a new, permanent assessment pathway that:
· retains the WAPC - or a committee of the Commission - as the decision-maker;
· introduces a 120-day timeframe for assessment and determination of significant development proposals;
· refines the eligibility criteria for what is considered to be of State and regional significance; and
· embeds the successful State referral coordination process.
Development Assessmsnt Panels (DAPs):
· reduce the number of panels to three - one each for Perth's inner and outer metropolitan areas and the third panel to service all regional areas;
· permanently appoint highly experienced technical experts to serve as Presiding and Deputy Presiding members on each panel, with no change to the current local Council representation proposed;
· allow all multiple dwelling developments to be determined by a DAP; and
· making DAPs a completely opt-in process for any development over $2 million, with standard exclusions such as single homes still applying.
I personally am not taking the view that it is removing power from Local Governments, nor that it will be “disastrous”. After all, the only planning powers LG has is delegated to them by the State. I do think some of these reforms are good, and will increase consistency in planning, and remove the politicisation of some planning applications. What it will do for Local Governments encourage them to focus more intently on their Planning Schemes and Local Planning Strategies in order to drive better outcomes for our communities. Currently there are a lot of LGs all around the State who have left the focus off of these important local planning documents, and if they continue to do so, the State Government will have the say.
METRONET major works
The Midland and Airport lines will close from 31 March to 26 April to carry out essential works on the new Bayswater Station, realign the Midland Line and facilitate connection of the new METRONET Morley-Ellenbrook Line.
During the shutdown, round-the-clock works will take place and include removing the infamous Bayswater Bridge, while 1.8km of new track and other rail systems will be installed to allow the Midland and Airport lines to run on the new and higher Bayswater rail bridge from 26 April.
Details on train replacement services are available via Transperth.
Bayswater Station will close during the shutdown and remain closed until September to safely complete the elevated southern platform and station area.
Until the station reopens, a free shuttle bus service will operate between Bayswater and Meltham stations and existing, regular passengers of Bayswater Station can apply for a special SmartRider that will provide three months of free travel from 31 March.
Details about the application process will be available via Transperth in early-March and terms and conditions apply.
After the historic Bayswater Bridge – a local landmark made famous for bringing countless trucks to a grinding halt beneath its low clearance – is demolished there will be a free celebratory community event on Sunday 30 April with entertainment, food stalls and bridge memorabilia. Details on the community event will be released in the coming weeks.
METRONET information here:- https://www.metronet.wa.gov.au/news/latest-news/shutdown-of-midland-and-airport-lines-confirmed?fbclid=IwAR1kjFqh320dI4iJYAmRzk5YqIk_k5QD9uVaUAGAKT8X54Fv5rlagTXopkI
Community Safety and Crime Prevention plan
The City of Bayswater is asking residents, business owners and community groups to share their concerns and experiences on crime and community safety within the City of Bayswater.
Feedback collected from community members will inform the development of the City’s Crime and Community Safety Plan.
The Plan will include practical actions aimed at improving safety, service delivery and reducing crime within the community.
Community members are invited to share their experiences and concerns about crime and community safety in the City by filling in a survey by 31 March 2023.
Hard copies of the survey are available from the Civic Centre and City’s three libraries.
Australia's Park Life Survey
Complete the Australian Park Life survey. Results will be shared with the City of Bayswater.
Australia’s parks need to adapt and evolve to keep our citizens and cities healthy.
Help ensure Australia’s future park and greenspace development is informed by community experiences and preferences.
This research study is about which parks you visit, why you visit them and the benefits you get from using parks.
Provide feedback here: https://australian.park-life.com/#/
