Wagga council has wrapped up its investigation into a planning scandal involving millions of potentially wasted dollars, but details remain secret.
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Council general manager Alan Eldridge faced the media on Thursday and answered a volley of questions on everything from roadworks to a management restructure.
Six weeks after it was revealed council staff snuck through seven-figure discounts and waived strict environmental regulations for a handful of developers, all details have been sent to the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
Mr Eldridge claimed commercial sensitivities precluded him releasing details, but committed to revealing what went on at an “appropriate time”.
A separate planning probe into malpractice allegations levelled at former director Andrew Crakanthorp, which finished six months ago, is also unlikely to see the light of day soon.
“We won't be keen to release that because there could be legal consequences for a number of people should we do so,” Mr Eldridge said.
Aside from swirling corruption concerns, the top bureaucrat said council was in “good shape” and was excited to next week reveal key new figures within senior management.
Mr Eldridge also revealed major infrastructure projects would begin construction early next year, including the long-awaited levee bank upgrade.
“Whilst the community hasn't seen much going on, there is certainly a lot happening in the background around the levee bank,” he said.
“It won't be too long into the new year and you'll see dirt turning on the levee bank project.”
Several major roadworks projects are wrapping up after month-long delays caused by record rainfall throughout winter and early spring.
“Byrnes Road has now been completed, there's just a bit of tidying up to do,” Mr Eldridge said.
“As you know, the road was out of action for a couple of months due to wet weather; we went to seal it a few times but the rain came in.
“I'd expect this week and some time into next week (Eunony Bridge Road) should be finished off.
“It's a difficult road because of the amount of traffic and of course it was severely affected by floods.”
An overhaul of key planning documents – the Local Environmental Plan (LEP), Development Control Plan (DCP) and developer contributions – will not be finished for at least 12 months.
Well before Mr Eldridge took the reins, residents had been promised the documents would be renewed by 2015.
COUNCIL GENERAL MANAGER ALAN ELDRIDGE
Byrnes Road:
Byrnes Road has now been completed, there's just a bit of tidying up to do. As you know the road was out of action for a couple of months due to wet weather. We went to seal it a few times but the rain came in.
Eunony Bridge Road:
It's a difficult road because of the amount of traffic and of course it was severely affected by floods. When the road was almost ready to seal the flood came up and that created a problem, so we had to rebuild the top surface. I'd expect this week and some time into next week it should be finished off.
Lord Baden Powell Drive has been an interesting process for us, no doubt about it. There was an anomaly we didn't expect to find, but staff have been working on it and put in drainage so it doesn't happen again. The issue now is tidying it up, but effectively it's open for business and the community can now start using that road.
Whilst the community hasn't seen much going on, there is certainly a lot happening in the background around the levee bank. It won't be too long into the new year and you'll see dirt turning on the levee bank project.
The investigation is actually completed. What's happening now is we're working through it with an external agency to take care of the issues that have been uncovered. We'll report on that to the community at an appropriate time, but we can't do that too much right now because of commercial sensitivities. All the information we received has been handed over (to ICAC) and they'll make an assessment and take whatever action they think necessary.
The report (into former planning director Andrew Crakanthorp) is finished but the issue is... it's under professional legal privilege. We won't be keen to release that because there could be legal consequences for a number of people should we do so. Whilst it's a very sensitive report, it's still very active in terms of the consequences, so we’ll have to take advice from our legal advisors.
There's a lot in the Integrated Transport Strategy; it's a work in progress. We've asked for a little more work to be done around verification of data, so it will be factually correct and presented in a way the community will understand.
We had a briefing yesterday from the experts, which said we don't have a car parking problem in Wagga, it's the way we use our car parks.
The bypass is a matter for the RMS (Roads and Maritime Service).
We still think probably another 12 months or so and we'll have a re-organisation of at least the DCP (Development Control Plan) and section 94 (developer contributions). Then we'll work on the LEP (Local Environmental Plan) as well. The LEP has to be approved by state planning and that's out of our hands a bit.
The community will see planning will become more user friendly and should streamline the process, so when you go and ask council for approval, the process should be easier, better and more efficient.
I think it's certainly something that will be looked at under the planning task-force. The modern cities are ones with residential housing up top and more commercial activity going on downstairs. A lot of the newer buildings in urban areas are actually requiring developers to consider that. Our elected members will no doubt have discussions about that and give us advice.
The (new structure) started on October 3. We'll be meeting as a new team next week. I'm going to make an announcement probably next week and really show off the team. We have a fair bit of talent that's come to council.
I'm not sure we put a broom through the place; some people left of natural attrition, some were asked to leave. The (new) organisational structure affects people, sometimes people aren't happy, some are happy. It's about rebuilding now and working with the many talented people we have.