Cessnock mayor Bob Pynsent remains hopeful that a new access road to Cessnock Correctional Centre can still be negotiated with the NSW Government.
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But the council may have to surrender in its push to have the government commit to a number of mitigation measures put forward at its March 18 meeting.
As reported on April 2, the Department of Corrections has withdrawn its offer to build a new road a new entry to the correctional centre, after what it deemed "unacceptable and unfeasible" conditions requested by the council.
Cessnock City Council had asked for mitigation measures - including isolating the route from the local road network - before it would agree to support Corrections' preferred option (known as Option 3A), via Kerlew and Occident streets, Nulkaba.
In a mayoral minute to this Wednesday night's meeting (which will be conducted online), Cr Pynsent will ask council to write to corrections minister Anthony Roberts to give its support for Option 3A, and that he and general manager Lotta Jackson request a meeting with the minister to discuss the entry to the correctional centre.
Cr Pynsent will also ask council to liaise with Cessnock MP Clayton Barr to "develop common strategies on this important project", and invite Mr Barr to address a councillor briefing session.
"Council had previously been "extremely pleased with the Government's previous announcements they had agreed to relocate the entrance away from Lindsay Street," the mayoral minute says.
"This has occurred through many years of negotiation and working together to try and achieve the best results for the Cessnock community.
"Previous meetings with the minister have been very worthwhile and I have previously stated in the chamber my appreciation for the way Minister Roberts has handled these negotiations since coming into the Corrections portfolio.
"Should Council agree on this position per the Mayoral Minute, I am hopeful that Minister Roberts will continue to engage in a positive manner and reinstate the Government's offer to construct the new entrance to the correctional centre."
Cr Pynsent said council is still committed to its previous resolutions in regards to the closure of the entrance of the Lindsay Street entrance, and will continue to work constructively with Corrections and the State Government to achieve this.
Council resolved on February 1, 2017 to reaffirm its position that "access to the facility be via direct routes to the State Road Network", and that "local roads paid for by Cessnock ratepayers should not shoulder the significant financial and maintenance burden of the significant expansion of this State facility".
On April 17, 2019, it further reaffirmed its position that "Lindsay Street is not an option for the ongoing entrance/exit to the Cessnock Correctional Centre".
The meeting will not be conducted in the council chambers to adhere to COVID-19 social distancing regulations.
Instead, councillors will join the meeting by teleconference, which will be livestreamed on council's Facebook page from 6.30pm Wednesday.
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Krystal Sellars
Krystal Sellars is the Senior Journalist at the Cessnock Advertiser. Born and raised in Cessnock, she started her journalism career at the Advertiser in 2006 after completing a Bachelor of Communication at the University of Newcastle. Contact her on krystal.sellars@cessnockadvertiser.com.au.
Krystal Sellars is the Senior Journalist at the Cessnock Advertiser. Born and raised in Cessnock, she started her journalism career at the Advertiser in 2006 after completing a Bachelor of Communication at the University of Newcastle. Contact her on krystal.sellars@cessnockadvertiser.com.au.
