Ten appointed community members will soon advise Waratah-Wynyard Council on environmental sustainability as part of a newly created Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Panel (SEAP), creating an exciting new and collaborative platform for environmental advocacy in local government.
The aim of SEAP is to enhance the natural environment of the municipal area, by implementing, monitoring, and reviewing Council’s award-winning Integrated Council Environmental Plan (iCEP) 2020 – 2030.
“The Sustainability and Environmental Advisory Panel is there to assist Council in determining the best ways to develop and preserve the natural wonders of our region,” Waratah-Wynyard Mayor Robby Walsh said.
The panel’s objective over its two-year term is to represent a range of sectors and opinions relating to or impacting the natural environment, including community, agency and industry; to provide input and advice to Council on issues of environmental sustainability; to provide input to Council on behalf of the community and community organisations; to actively support Council’s consultation with and advocacy to the broader community; to provide specific and targeted feedback on relevant policies, strategies and key environmental initiatives; to establish working groups; to monitor and review environmental and sustainability issues within Waratah-Wynyard; and to advocate to Council for the benefit of the Waratah-Wynyard environment.
The community members chosen for SEAP have technical and scientific skillsets or have demonstrated strengths in community collaboration and sustainability education. The appointed members are Robin Krabbe, Colin Hocking, Hannah Sadler, Sarah Smith, Brenton Hosking, Fiona Loughran, Ian Newman, Ian Ferris, Peter Lawrence and Wendy Bryant. “There are also two allocated positions available for Councillor representation, which will be filled soon after the new elected members begin their term. An informal meet-and-greet will be arranged this year to discuss group priorities prior to commencement in early 2023,” Mayor Walsh said.