Putting forward the recommendation CEO Ricki Bruhn said it was not only an opportunity to support Ardrossan but that if the level of interest generated does not result in the minimum requirement of 60 additional allotments being met, no land division applications will be approved and the long awaited augmentation of the water supply will once again be stalled.

"It is important to note that when the minimum number of 60 allotments has been reached, this will commit SA Water to constructing the new pipeline in the future. Once constructed, this will enable up to 240 new allotments, including the minimum of 60, to be created which will secure Ardrossan's future development potential," he said.

"Having worked tirelessly to reach this point with SA Water, Economic Development Officer, Peter Stockings, and I consider this an opportunity for Council to show support for the Ardrossan community, which has been held back for many years as a result of its limited water infrastructure."

The incentives being offered to facilitate the minimum number of allotments required by SA Water passed by Council are: -

• That the requirement to pay the existing effluent augmentation fee of $4,135 per new allotment, increasing annually by CPI, be deferred for the first 60 new allotments created until such time as any newly created allotment has been sold;
• That Council provide a financial contribution of $2,000 per allotment for the first 60 new allotments created, payable to SA Water, to reduce the up front water augmentation fee to $8,900 per allotment. Such contribution to be funded from the Future Directions Reserve and to be reimbursed to Council upon sale of any newly created allotment.

Funding for immunisation program to end

While Council will negotiate a pro-rata agreement with the Yorke and Lower North Health Service to continue with the free childhood immunisation program funded by Council to the end of the year, it will no longer provide this service from January 1, 2010.

Explaining the move Director of Development and Community Services, Roger Brooks, explained that a service that is available from the local GP at a cost to the ratepayer of around $16 maybe costing Council as much as $108 per client, based on clinic costs of $36,156 for the 2009/2010 financial year.

"Currently Council receives no funding to assist with the immunisation service and costs associated with the provision of this program are met directly from rates and other revenue generated by Council," Mr. Brooks said.

In times when finances are strained, Council's mandatory responsibilities should have priority over discretionary service in terms of the allocation of resources. Ongoing costs for this service have been of concern for some time, and there are other opportunities available to people wanting access to childhood immunisation he said.

Rural Property Addressing System

CEO Ricki Bruhn reported on a meeting with officers from the Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure to discuss the requirements behind the new "Rural Property Addressing System".

"It is envisaged that this system will become operational for the 2011 national census," Mr. Bruhn said. "An indicative implementation target of mid-2010 has been established for our council region, and it is fair to say that given our extensive road network, this project will be a major undertaking for our council in terms of financial and staff resources."

The system will see every occupied rural property in South Australia, home and business, with a nationally consistent numbered address. The distance-based numbering system quickly tells emergency service personnel or anyone delivering a letter, parcel or service that a certain property is so many kilometres from the start of a road, and on which side of the road the property entrance is located.

IN BRIEF

• At a meeting of the Yorke Peninsula Council's Alliance, held at Balaklava last month, the group received an update on the Syngas Clinton Project from Managing Director Ms. Merrill Gray, while Senior Sergeant Martin Bazeley (SA Police, Yorke Operation) addressed the meeting on various matters including illegal fireworks. Also discussed were desalination options within Spencer Gulf; Narungga Nations ILUA Committee; KESAB and its relationship with Councils in terms of future services to address environmental sustainability and climate change; potential contamination of land following the decommissioning of fuel depots.
• Mayor Ray Agnew, CEO Ricki Bruhn and Director of Engineering Services, Trevor Graham, met with Dr. Murray Townsend (Coast Protection Branch) recently to receive information on a proposal for future repairs to the Wool Bay sea wall. A written proposal will be forwarded to Council shortly for formal consideration.
• The meeting endorsed a recommendation from the Development and Community Services Committee to advise Coastal Engineers Magryn and Associates, whose services were engaged by five shackowners at Rogues Point, that Council was not prepared to take a lead role in the beach stabilisation issue at Rogues Point.