A number of recommendations strongly endorsed the continuation of the service, and some changes to the management structure.   

Some years ago a central board and chief executive officer replaced the volunteers who operated the local management committees for each counsellor.    

This local committee met regularly with the counsellor, and without ever breaching any confidentiality, was able to monitor how the local service was operating, and convey direct to ministers and government how successful and accessible the various programs were that provided assistance, also whether the application process was too involved inhibiting the success rate of applicants.   

The CEO and board operating for more than one counsellor, has virtually gagged any direct feedback from the rural counsellors, as the CEO is hardly going to criticise the government that employs them.   

A very cumbersome and lengthy application process now exists (up to 70 pages for household support) and with droughts not being considered natural disasters by both levels of governments, ineffective assistance programs now exist.  

It would be much better to revert back to the local management committees to largely run the services with the counsellor still funded by governments, to ensure a simpler straight forward application process, and that the programs available were effective and became available in time to assist producers and communities affected by natural disasters.   

These local boards did not cost the government anything to operate and understood the local needs and conditions.

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Council has continued its program to fund shade sails at various locations in the town.  

New shade protection is now at the skate park near the tennis courts, and more in place at the swimming pool.

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The reconstruction of another 3 kms of the Mitchell Highway east of Nyngan has now been completed with this upgrade making the highway much safer for heavy vehicles.   

Reports indicate the shire roads held up pretty well for a big harvest with shire graders heading back to the northern section of Cockies Road to repair some damage from harvest vehicles.

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As Christmas approaches, we look forward to many residents decorating their front windows and yards with Christmas lights.  

It has become a very colourful feature of the town, with many rural residents also decorating their mail boxes again.  

 We will again be holding a competition for different sections, but the main feature is to decorate the streets and promote the festive season with colour and the clever designs our people create.

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Unfortunately there has been a considerable increase in vandalism around the town during recent weeks, a fair bit of relative minor damage which the Police tell me is being caused mainly

by a few minors, rather than many.   

They are hard to catch disappearing into the shadows during the early hours of the morning, and unless they are caught actually doing the damage it’s hard for the Police to apprehend them despite suspicious as to whom they are.  

Reporting anything suspicious to Police always helps.   

Hopefully with community support the offenders can be caught and punished. 

  I’m sure keeping Nyngan a safe town free of this nuisance is everyone’s priority.

RL Donald

Mayor­