LNP Councilor John Moores Hijacks Independents Motion for Wollombi Rd.

News Update: Council Debates Wollombi Road Upgrade Community Engagement Plan

During a recent session of the Cessnock City Council on the 21th of February 2024 a motion concerning the Wollombi Road Upgrade project stirred discussion and underwent amendments.

The original motion, initiated by Councillor Watton and seconded by Councillor Olsen, outlined several key points:

1. A councillor briefing to be organized for an overview of the project’s initial design investigation.
2. Notification that an environmental review would be open for public exhibition to gather feedback.
3. Assurance that the project team would maintain engagement with the community and stakeholders throughout the process.
4. Provision for three public forums to be held over separate weekends to discuss the Wollombi Road Upgrade, with attendance expected from councillors, the mayor, relevant staff, and the project design team.

However, an amendment, introduced by Councilor John Moores, significantly altered the scope of community engagement efforts:

1. Requested the General Manager to organize a councillor briefing on March 13th to cover preliminary design investigation and the community engagement plan.
2. Confirmed that the environmental review would be available for public feedback after the briefing.
3. Affirmed ongoing community engagement aligned with the council’s participation plan.
4. Expanded community information sessions for residents and businesses, with an emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility, while inviting councillors to attend.

During the final vote on the amended motion, each councillor cast their decision as follows:

FOR:
Councillor Jackson
Councillor Moores
Councillor Dunn
Councillor Burke
Councillor Grine
Councillor Sander
Councillor Hill
Councillor Hawkins
Councillor Paynter
Councillor Suvaal

AGAINST:
Councillor Watton
Councillor Olsen
Councillor Jurd

The revised motion, spearheaded by Councilor John Moores, received substantial backing from the majority of councillors, casting uncertainty over the consultation process. With no definitive path forward, there is a lack of clarity regarding the minimum number of public forums or their locations and times. This ambiguity has left businesses and homeowners along Wollombi Rd frustrated, as they await concrete answers and a clear way forward..