The (non-remunerative) rewards of being deputy mayor of the best city west of the mountains may not be enough to entice Cr Phillp Toynton to run again later this month, as he unsuccessfully calls for a review of councillor remuneration, while the mixed blessings of the Central West-Orana REZ are felt in two projects; a training centre at Wellington, and the recently-opened Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant.

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Toynton says he may not stand again for DM

With the vote for the next two-year term for mayor and deputy being held at the council meeting on Tuesday, September 22, there’s one name that may not be in the mix.

With current head honcho Cr Josh Black seemingly enjoying the position as leader of the regional council, his “Number One”, Cr Phillip Toynton, is not so sure.

“I haven’t actually made my mind up. I’m thinking I may not, but haven’t finally decided as yet,” Cr Toynton told Dubbo Photo News.

The Geurie/Wellington farmer – a Shooters, Fishers and Farmers' Party representative on council – was also reticent about whether he is about to put his hand up for the State seat of Dubbo at the NSW election next March, saying that this is another decision he is pondering.

With Pauline Hanson’s One Nation in recent years having shattered the old Labor/Coalition duopoly in Australian politics, there’s a sense that "business as usual" no longer does it for the Australian electorate.

Also, as the state government takes part in the national gun buyback scheme starting in November – following last year’s terrorist attack at Bondi – the party must be thinking there’s fertile ground to sow in regional electorates like ours.

“Soon as I’m prepared to make my decision public, I’ll let you know!” Cr Toynton told DPN in conclusion.

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Councillor calls: “show us some money, please!”

One thing Cr Toynton certainly won’t miss if he runs for the state seat of Dubbo is the deputy mayoral allowance, effectively zero!

While the mayor of Dubbo is on a fair wicket – not far off $100,000 per annum when combining councillor fees and the mayoral allowance – his deputy gets by on the base councillor stipend of under $30,000 each year.

He is apparently only entitled to pro-rata rates for the top job, when the mayor is on extended leave or otherwise unable to perform duties.

The “base councillor fee” of only $27,860 per year for running a $200 million-plus business seems a touch stingy when so much is expected of elected representatives.

Cr Toynton was keen for council to take up the issue at the next Local Government Association annual conference in November at Wollongong.

He said that the paltry annual allowance, rather than setting a tone of fiscal restraint and financial probity at council, had an unintended consequence of restricting who is willing to put their hand up each election for what is a very public and sometimes onerous task.

“Democracy shouldn’t be only for those who are independently well-off,” Cr Toynton believes.

“It shouldn’t exclude those that don’t have the money to support themselves, for those that are already wealthy enough to take the time off for meetings and the like ” he argued.

He revealed though, that his efforts cut little cloth with his colleagues who, he believes, were seemingly more worried about issues not related to the intention of his appeal.

“It would have been better if they were able to stick to the motion in front of them, rather trying to overthink things,” Cr Toynton said.

“It was defeated by a 10-1 vote, which was disappointing, they saw things in the motion, that I was not calling for,” he concluded.

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Locals happy about renewable projects!

In some good news among the generally robust and caustic objections to renewable energy projects in the region, one local firm has come up trumps!

Council recently awarded the contract for project management services for the Wellington Renewable Energy Awareness Career Training (REACT) Centre, to Lyons Project Management after a competitive tender process.

The REACT Centre project is a council–led initiative in Wellington with the intended aim of “positioning the community to directly benefit from the energy transition through skills development, training infrastructure, and employment pathways”.

Whatever many rural landholders think of the dubious benefits of being at the forefront of the renewable energy transition, the decision is certainly good news for the wining contractors.

“Securing this major project in our own backyard is especially important to our team at Lyons Project Management,” Lyons Project Management Director, Katie Lyons said.

“We are passionate about regional growth, and this project allows us to contribute to meaningful local employment and lasting opportunities right here in our community,” she added.

The REACT Centre project received an $11.24 million EnergyCo Community and Employment Benefit Program grant for legacy, council-led projects.

The grant is part of the NSW Government’s initial $128 million investment to share benefits with communities during the delivery of the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone.

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New sewer works on the runs…

Putting runs on the board (pardon the pun), the official opening of Dubbo’s new Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant was held this week.

The “public-private partnership” between council and Squadron Energy is designed to treat up to 700 megalitres of wastewater annually so as to supply recycled water for industrial and community use, thereby protecting drinking supplies during drought.

It will also benefit Squadron Energy by providing local wind farms with water for construction and to reduce dust. The project also should be able to provide recycled water to irrigate local parks and sports fields.