Introduction to Blue Mountains City Council
MODULE 1
Overview of Local Government Area
The Blue Mountains City Council administration is based in Katoomba, New South Wales, and serves 26 townships in a local government area of 1433 square kilometres. The 26 townships are situated from 50 to 120 km west of Sydney and cover a 100km strip of sandstone ridge within the 1,000 square kilometres of the World Heritage Area.
10.5% of the total land in the LGA is in private ownership and the land supply for development is projected to be exhausted by 2020.
The population is currently 76,000 and is static and aging. There is a limited rate base with increasing costs of service.
Blue Mountains attracts millions of visitors from throughout the world, making it one of the top three tourist destinations in Australia.
Over the next decade, it is projected that:
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The population of the City of Blue Mountains will remain stable at around 76,000 people;
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Proportions of older people will steadily increase;
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Numbers of working aged adults will decrease;
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Numbers of children will decrease; and
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Numbers of young people will decrease.
These trends will have significant implications for service provision in the next 5-10 years. Aging of the population will place pressure on existing services and facilities.
A major challenge for the City of Blue Mountains is to work towards achieving and retaining a mix of young, middle aged and older people in our community.
There are significant and growing differences in socio-economic status within the City of Blue Mountains. People living in the Lower Mountains, on average, are more advantaged in terms of household income, educational achievement, unemployment and occupation.
Given the correlation between poor health outcomes and low socio-economic status, there is a need to continue initiatives aimed at improving well being in the Mountains.
City in a World Heritage Area
The City's location within a World Heritage Area not only places limits on the land available for living. It also places responsibilities on the community, Council and other agencies to ensure that impacts of urban development are carefully managed and that the internationally recognised values of this natural environment are protected.
Because it is the major reason many people choose to live in and visit the Blue Mountains, protecting the environment is the number one issue identified in the 2006 Community Survey.
Its attraction also means the environment is under increasing threat from the pressure of human settlement and application of the principles of sustainability are even more necessary.
Service Challenges
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Topography with duplication of some services across 27 villages;
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Gaps in Services Centre model;
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High % of elderly and low income families;
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Low/no growth;
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World Heritage Area responsibilities;
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Environmental expectations; and
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Financial Management.
Ward Boundaries
There was a change to ward boundaries in 2005 to ensure that the population distribution across words was within the guidelines. Information on this change can be found on the BMCC main website www.bmcc.nsw.gov.au/yourcouncil/wardboundaries. There are Ward boundary maps available as downloads at this site.
The following outlines information about the wards:
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Ward 1: Mt Victoria to Leura
Population: 18,537
Voters: 12,766 -
Ward 2: Wentworth Falls - West Faulconbridge
Population: 19,800
Voters: 14,018 -
Ward 3: Faulconbridge to Blaxland
Population: 19,205
Voters: 13,354 -
Ward 4: Blaxland to Lapstone (including Mt Riverview)
Population: 15,994
Voters: 13,394
