Have your say on the proposed changes to two roads policies

Submissions were invited on the proposed update of two Council policies:

1. Road Closures and Private Purchase Policy
2. Unauthorised Private Encroachments on Council Public Roads Policy.

Council adopted amendments to policies and the policies have been updated.

What is the Road Closure and Private Purchase Policy about?

The objectives of this policy are to:

• Provide guidelines on assessing road closure applications for public roads within the Tweed Shire

• Ensure that road reserves are managed such that community access and use of these road reserves is preserved.

What is the unauthorised Private Encroachments on Public Roads policy about?

Council, as the owner and asset manager of the road reserves in the Shire, has a duty to ensure that the community's interest is not compromised by unauthorised enclosure or occupation of public roads by plantings, private buildings or other structures, eg, retaining walls.

The objectives of the policy are to ensure that an encroachment is either

• Removed, or

• Subject to Council resolution, is permitted to remain by the adjoining owner entering into an appropriate agreement with the Council to ensure public liability and public amenity issues are identified and managed, and that a community benefit results.

What has changed?

The changes in both policies include:

• Council will not approve a road closure and private purchase application for a fence line encroachment, as Council considers fences as moveable (non-permanent) structures.

• Council will consider the environmental value of revegetating a road reserve when assessing a road closure and private purchase application.

For more information about the changes please view the tracked changes within the draft documents (see Document Library).

Have your say

CLOSED: This engagement has now concluded - the survey closed at 4.00 pm on 8 December 2021. Thank you to all who provided feedback.

It should be noted that in accordance with Council policy and the provisions of the Government Information (Public Access) Act 2009 – ‘GIPAA,’ confidential information contained within submissions may be released upon a request being made by a third party.