The Local Planning Panel will decide this week if it will continue to meet online.
Since its inception in 2020, all Central Coast Local Planning Panel meetings have been held remotely.
“Feedback from the Panel, Council staff, and applicants and others who have attended the remote meetings has been positive,” says a report to be tabled at the December 8 meeting.
The report recommends monthly meetings next year and to continue with the remote format.
“Remote meetings have continued to provide greater flexibility, including the option for applicants and others to attend the meeting during business hours and at various location within and outside of the local government area,” the report states.
“Whilst the legislative framework that permitted online meetings was initially a temporary measure implemented by NSW Government as a result of COVID-19 legislative
amendments during 2022 mean that Panels can hold their meetings entirely online (something that was not permitted prior to legislative interventions that occurred during the pandemic).”
The report says the use of video-conference software (Zoom or similar) helps to facilitate compliance with legislative requirements including the requirement that meetings must be recorded and made publicly available.
“The Panel may choose to commence face-to-face meetings in lieu of the current practice of utilising video conferencing. If such a change was to be made, meetings would need to be accommodated at Council’s Administration Centre in Wyong, noting that meetings will still need to be held in a location that provides for recording and live-stream,” the report stated.
A decision is expected to be made public next week.
