As reported in last week’s Scone Advocate, the building which was the former home of the Upper Hunter Shire Council has been sold.
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Council debated this matter in detail and at length and I’m confident that the final decision was a prudent and responsible one.
Council is actually making an operational saving by selling the property and renting it back, and with the building showing signs of ageing there is a likely cost to the community in keeping it up to an appropriate standard in future.
The purchaser approached council with an offer and in this instance, given the ‘Commercial in Confidence’ nature of the transaction we were unable to consult widely with the community.
But be assured that council looked at the sale from the angle of what was best for the community in the long term and the offer compared favourably to the independent valuation council commissioned.
A condition of the sale is for the library to remain in the building under a new lease arrangement as the new owner is only utilising one side of the building.
There are no plans to move the library and council is working with the Scone Neighbourhood Resource Centre (SNRC) with a view to them also remaining in the same space they currently occupy.
It is worth noting that the SNRC has been a long term beneficiary of council support and alternative means of providing similar levels of support are also being discussed in light of the change in circumstance regarding the building.
Any community groups that have been affected by the change in ownership should feel welcome to contact the council and we will be able to assist in finding alternative accommodation, including the use of the council administration building if practicable.
As anyone who has ever built or renovated a home knows, planning laws and regulations can seem unnecessarily complex for the average person.
A new service available on the council’s website www.upperhunter.nsw.gov.au makes it easy to find out the rules that apply to a specific address - that could be your own address or somewhere you are thinking of buying.
Say you want to add a verandah, knock through a wall, or build a garden shed.
Depending on your plans and the rules that apply to your lot, you may not need planning approval.
You can get guidance on whether your plans are okay by looking at the Electronic Housing Code.
It will tell you the maximum height, where you can build a new structure, how high it can be off ground level, and many other details, that may mean there is no need for the expense and paperwork of a development approval.
Best of all, you can access it in your own time.
The council has recently farewelled three long serving staff members.
Dennis Wadwell retired after 26 years’ service, largely as the building maintenance supervisor.
Steve Kemp has retired after 14 years’ service with council as Scone Saleyards supervisor.
Melanie Nelson, who has been with council for 11 years, largely in our technical services department, is relocating out of the shire.
Council’s staff are one of our most important assets and we wish them well for the future.