GM musical chairs– Tight squeeze Taverners – Facebook for (lost) dogs
• Vanessa Chan, the General Manager of the Inner West Council and former GM of Ashfield Council, left her position early this month. She has been replaced by Rik Hart. Hart was the GM of the Warringah Shire Council until is was merged in May into the Northern Beaches Council. In 2015 Hart was the subject of a News Corp investigation that found he earned more than the NSW Premier; $387,753 to be exact. Former Leichhardt councillor John Stamolis has told the Sydney Morning Herald that the cost of staff redundancies and rebranding at the Inner West Council has run into the millions.
• Taverners Hill Residents have started to collect their own feedback on Urban Growth’s consultation with the local community regarding the renewal of Parramatta Road and surrounding precincts. Residents who submited to Urban Growth mostly expressed concerns about increasing housing density in the area. Urban Growth’s projections for estimated a 700 per cent population increase by 2050: from 718 residents now to 5,516 residents. It also projected an almost tenfold increase in housing, estimating 3,000 houses in the area by 2050, up from the current 300. The initial plan shows the introduction of 8-12 storey dwellings along Parramatta Road, Barker Street and Lambert Park, with an additional transport hub, increased cycleways and a community plaza. The revised plans for Taverners Hill will not be exhibited to the public until 2017, after approval by Parliament.
• Have you lost a pet? While conducting research for Ciao’s pet edition, we discovered a Facebook group that helps locals find misplaced animal companions. The group helps coordinate extra eyes around Inner West suburbs to keep watch for wandering critters. It’s this kind of initiative that makes us proud to be Inner Westies. Check out: www.facebook.com/groups/LostPetInnerWestSydney
