The Weekly Times - TWT - 5th September 2018

Wednesday 5 September, 2018 THE WEEKLY TIMES 7
Roy Newsome to retire from City of Ryde Council
Former City of Ryde
Acting General Manager
Roy Newsome will retire
from Council at the end
of this month.
Mr Newsome was Acting
General Manager from
August 2013 until August
2014 and from May 2016
until May 2017.
He also served as the
City of Ryde’s Director
Corporate Services since
2001 and has more than
40 years’ experience in local
government with prior
service at Burwood and
Liverpool councils.
His responsibilities included
management of
the Council’s finances,
auditing, the management
of information technology,
procurement policies and
human resources.
Mayor Jerome Laxale
said Mr Newsome has
also been responsible for
introducing and managing
“robust governance
frameworks” at the Council
and is deeply respected
by colleagues and the
Ryde community.
“People of Roy’s dedication
and knowledge do
not come around too often,”
Mayor Laxale said.
“His understanding of
local government and
governance principles is
second to none.
“Through his tenure Roy
has steered the Council
through some of its most
challenging periods and
has also introduced internal
procedures to the organisation
that are viewed
by many to be the gold
standard for local government,
which is a legacy
that has put Ryde on a
solid footing for years to
come.”
“During his time as Acting
General Manager, Mr
Newsome was required
to lead Council through a
number of major developments
and this includes
the NSW Government’s
proposed council merger,
in which Mr Newsome
was required to ensure
day-to-day operations
continued to be delivered
at a high standard while
also undertaking what
was necessary to plan for
the merger.”
Mr Newsome also contributed
letters to The
Weekly Times in response
to editorials about the
proposed redevelopment
of the Ryde Civic Centre
although this proposed
redevelopment plan was
scrapped by the current
councillors.
City of Ryde General
Manager George Dedes
also paid tribute to Mr
Newsome.
“Roy will be sorely
missed by all at the City of
Ryde,” he said
“He is a valued colleague
whose counsel is
regularly sought from all
areas of the organisation.”
“On behalf of everyone
at the City of Ryde, we
wish him the best in retirement.”
PICTURED Former
Acting General Manager
Roy Newsome (holding
award) alongside Clr
Roy Maggio, Clr Penny
Pedersen, Clr Simon
Zhou, Clr Dr Peter Kim,
cell, Mayor Jerome Laxale,
Clr Jordan Lane, Clr
Chris Moujalli, Clr Sarkis
Yedelian OAM, Clr Edwina
Clifton and Deputy
Mayor Christopher Gordon.
Clr Trenton
eral
Dedes,
Brown,
Manager
Clr Bernard
Gen-
George
Pur-
EASTWOOD COMMUNITY NEWS
Green lung matters:
Bush care volunteer
Dr Felix Lo & Clr Simon
Zhou (Source:
Lo)
The Friends of Lane
Cove National Park
Inc (FRIENDS) is
thrilled to have received
City of Ryde
Community Grant for
its bush regeneration
programme. Lane
Cove National Park is
an undisputed green
lung to both Ryde and Lane Cove.
It provides 372 hectare of beautiful bushland
and recreational space. Urbanisation means that
the Park is now encircled by over 2000 residences
which inadvertently bring about weed contamination
mainly through urban stormwater runoff.
Clr Simon Zhou says this community grant will
enable FRIENDS to provide critical bush regeneration
training to its bush care volunteers.
“Bush regeneration involves restoring weed infested
bushland to its native state…and much of this
labour intensive work is done by volunteers” says
Clr Zhou, founder of Neighbourhood Eastwood Inc.,
whose community work involves enhancing neighbourhood
environment and safety.
“With this grant hopefully FRIENDS could attract
more volunteers to keep this important work going.
You see, these volunteers are not dissimilar to the
last frontier of the ecosystem!” Says Zhou, with eagerness
parallel to that of a local bush carer.
For 25 years FRIENDS has been working to restore
the Park’s ecosystems. Join me and FRIENDS this
spring and become a bush care volunteer. There are
currently over 30 sites to work on. Visit: friendsoflanecovenationalpark.org.au
.
LUCKY FATHER’S
DAY WINNER!
Shoppers at Eastwood Shopping Centre on Fathers
Day last Sunday won numerous prizes for
their Dads.
Prizes included a $1,000 holiday voucher from
one of the two local travel agents in the centre
to meat trays, men’s neck ties, massage vouchers,
men’s shaving gel as well as $30 and $10 cash
vouchers.
Children enjoyed the craft activity on the Saturday
which included making a wooden car emote
controller holder as a Father’s Day gift for their
dads.
*Dr Felix Lo is a bush care volunteer and currently
serves on Government Advisory Committees
of both City of Ryde and Lane Cove.
MAYOR’S COMMUNITY MESSAGE
Inclusion Award Winner - Buffalo Locksmiths and Security at the
Northern Districts Local Business Awards Gala Evening
PICTURED master of ceremonies Bryan Gilfedder
with a winner on Sunday Father’s Day.
Saving our heritage
The City of Ryde proved it was genuine
about preserving our area’s heritage with
Councillors unanimously resolving to
save a historical house in Eastwood from
demolition.
The house on Rowe Street was built in 1907
and has been classified as a site of local
historical significance as evidence of the
early development of the Eastwood area. It
is also an example of work of the prominent
local architect Charles Robert Summerhayes.
Following receipt of a development
application to demolish the house last year,
Council has moved quickly to preserve the
house’s heritage culminating in the decision
by Councillors last week to recommend that
our Local Environment Plan be amended
to list the home as an item of local heritage
significance.
As the State Government has complete
power over Local Environment Plans I now
call on the NSW Government to endorse our
recommendation without delay.
Ryde supports Uluru Statement
from the Heart
Last week was a significant moment for
the City of Ryde, with Council supporting
the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The statement calls for a constitutionally
enshrined ‘First Nations Voice’. This
would see the creation of a new
representative body within the Federal
Parliament to advise on matters affecting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
With the approximate location of the
grave of one of the most significant
Aboriginal figures in history -
Woollarawarre Bennelong - recently
identified in Putney, the City of Ryde has
an obligation of honouring this man and
the ancient history of this land.
By supporting the Uluru Statement
from the Heart we not only support the
establishment of a ‘First Nations Voice’
to be enshrined in the Constitution of
Australia, but also a future in which
the rights and aspirations of Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people are
appropriately reflected.
Strong response so far to
Eastwood car park consultation
We have had a very positive response to
the new short stay car park for shoppers
in Eastwood, with more than 200
submissions received since we opened
community consultation a fortnight ago.
A number of great suggestions
have already been put forward and I
encourage anyone who has not yet
done so, to take part in the consultation
process.
You can submit feedback at
www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/ecp. Consultation
closes on Sunday 23 September 2018.
Sincerely,
Clr Jerome Laxale
Mayor
Phone 9952 8222
mayor@ryde.nsw.gov.au