Follow NSW lead: mayor

By Sarah Schwager
CASEY mayor Kevin Bradford has cited councils in Newcastle, New South Wales as a way of helping Casey move forward.
Cr Bradford attended the Seventh International Cities, Town Centres and Communities Conference in Newcastle in June.
At the last council meeting, Cr Bradford said the NSW Government had capped council rate rises and councils were now struggling to keep up with growth, with roads crumbling and infrastructure failing.
Now councils such as Mayfield in Newcastle collected a street levy to help improve the street, handing over control of the money to the street committee, made up of local businesses.
Cr Bradford said there were a number of issues that needed to be addressed to stop Casey crumbling.
These included business improvement districts (BIDs), like that used in Mayfield, energy and public housing.
Council officers will now investigate the use of BIDs in Casey, as well as include potential policies to ensure future residential and commercial developments strive for a five-star energy rating.
The report will also consider current and future needs for public housing within Casey and a campaign to lobby the state and federal governments to increase funding in the area.
Cr Bradford will also look at presenting a paper to the Eighth International Cities, Town Centres and Communities Conference in Auckland next year on Casey’s Cranbourne North Strategic Development Plan.