The Georges River Record

Georges River Council has carried a Mortdale streetscape enhancement report and adopted a draft verge management policy. The Mortdale work includes new fairy lights, replanting and seating, with more greening to come.

The Mortdale item, ASS 018-26, was moved by Councillor Jamieson and seconded by Councillor Lewis. An officer told the meeting the report was an update on the investigation and the execution of minor streetscape embellishment works within Mortdale, linked to a March 2025 Council resolution. Already completed were fairy lights within two mature trees at that location, replanting of a tree on the corner of Oxford and Morse Road, and seating around two mature trees was in progress, with additional bench seating to occur within this financial year.

The report also identified additional budget required for greening embellishments within Mortdale, including 15 planter boxes and the installation of two mature trees at the location. No councillors had questions, and the motion was declared carried.

The draft Verge Management Policy, ASS019-26, was moved by Councillor Liu and seconded by Councillor Jamison. An officer said the report provided background and context to a policy to establish management for Council's verges and nature strips, arising from a 2024 council resolution asking for a policy to manage requests for council to maintain verges in all areas of the LGA, residential and commercial areas and city gateways.

The draft policy recommends service levels for council maintenance such as city gateways, school zones and high pedestrian areas, residential areas and other areas not in those categories. The officer said the responsibility for maintaining verges sits with the adjacent resident or property owner, and that residents who cannot do so are directed to contact aged care providers through information on the website and in correspondence.

The officer also noted a review of the council's property portfolio to ensure benefits, revenue and performance, with a future report to council in the next financial year. The motion was declared carried.

The meeting also heard a report on development application performance. An officer said average determination timeframes reduced by 40 per cent for DAs from 252 days in Q3 last financial year to 151 days this financial year Q3, and that 53 per cent of all development applications were determined within the Minister's 105-day benchmark this quarter. The officer said backlogs were being reduced, with applications on the list of 180 days or more falling from 13 last quarter to eight this quarter.