The Ku-ring-gai Record

Ku-ring-gai Council has voted to defer endorsement of the Middle Harbour Northern Catchments Flood Study Final Report. The move came after Councillor Matt Devlin moved an alternate motion at the ordinary meeting on 22 July.

The alternate motion asked council to defer endorsement of the final report to allow further review of site-specific submissions alleging discrepancies between flood modelling and on-ground conditions. It also asked staff to prepare a summary of affected properties where concerns relate to topographic or drainage inaccuracies, and to assess whether additional site validation or modelling refinement is warranted.

"I seek to move the following amendment that"

Under the amendment, any properties subject to unresolved concerns would be excluded from the flood planning area or PMF tagging pending review in the next stage of the flood risk management process. The motion also sought improved explanatory material accompanying all published flood mapping, clearly outlining the nature of PMF tagging, its limitations and the criteria.

Earlier, Councillor Devlin spoke to a flood-related item as chair of the Flood Risk Management Committee. He said the technical accuracy and real-world impact of the report and its modelling were central to the committee's remit and for council.

The Mayor left the chamber for the item and the Deputy Mayor took the chair. The vote was unanimous.

Council also moved that its submissions on the St Ives Showground main carpark upgrade and the NSROC road surfacing tender remain confidential. Those reports, listed as GB8 and GB9, had confidential attachments and were moved together with other confidential items. Councillor Alec Taylor moved and Councillor Wheatley seconded. The vote was unanimous.

Later, councillors confirmed that a site inspection for the main carpark upgrade at St Ives Showground would be organised. A date and time will be determined in the near future and councillors will be advised. The meeting closed at 10.23pm.