Despite the challenges from both COVID-19 and ongoing storms, we’ve continued planning for the future and looking for opportunities to improve by listening to our community, understanding their needs and working through their priorities.

Together with our Councillors, staff and the community, we’ll strike a balance to ensure the long term sustainability of our place, our people, our environment and our council.

After a huge year that went so quickly, I can’t believe we’re planning for Christmas again and looking to a new year ahead! With the wet weather almost behind us, this Summer is looking bright. Our events are coming back bigger and better than ever and our It’s On! activation program is jam packed thanks to various grants and funding programs with events planned across the LGA.

I hope you get an opportunity to stop, rest, reflect, and pay attention to what’s most important in life. Let’s find a moment to feel grateful that we’re able to be more social and return to some sort of normality after a disruptive few years. Join us for the New Year’s firework display at Nelson Bay to kick off 2023 with a bang.

On behalf of Council staff and my Councillor colleagues, I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year.