Month: October 2019

City of Newcastle will become the first local government in NSW to move to 100 per cent renewable electricity after awarding a tender to purchase power from the state’s largest windfarm.
A 10-year power purchase agreement (PPA) was awarded today to energy retailer Flow Power for the equivalent of all the City’s operational needs from the Sapphire Wind Farm in the New England region.
The accepted tender, which follows Council’s August resolution to make the switch to renewables when existing supply contracts expire, stands to save rate payers around $1.8 million over the 10-year contract.
“From 1 January, the City will become the first local government in NSW to purchase enough renewable electricity to meet 100 per cent of our operational electricity requirements,” Newcastle Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said.
“This means enough clean energy will be put into the grid to power every sportsground floodlight, local library, park-BBQ and any other facility Council operates.
“Drawing all our energy needs from renewables is a significant achievement for the City and our mission to make our operations more sustainable and cost effective.
“Around 70 per cent of the respondents to a recent community survey supported this move, ranking renewables as one of their highest priority measures to reduce impacts on the environment.”
Flow Power CEO Matthew van der Linden said organisations like City of Newcastle were “leading the transition to a new energy future”.
“We’re thrilled to see the uptake of renewable deals like these grow in the Hunter Region, as proven by City of Newcastle and Molycop earlier this year,” Mr van der Linden said.
“We see this as a long-term partnership, which will not only support City of Newcastle but also, have significant broader impacts for the local region.”
The City already uses half a megawatt of solar energy generated on the roofs of 10 of its facilities, including Newcastle Museum, with an additional five megawatts to come from the solar farm at the Summerhill Waste Management Centre.
Located 18km west of Glen Innes, CWP Renewables’ Sapphire Wind Farm generates enough energy to power around 115,000 homes annually. The facility is part of a 1,300-megawatt wind, solar and battery portfolio the Newcastle-based firm is building across Australia.
Sapphire also supplies locally based industrial products manufacturer Molycop, which became one of the biggest buyers of renewable energy in Australia when it signed a PPA with Flow Power earlier this year.
The City will join the University of Newcastle in switching over to renewables on 1 January and follow the lead of other progressive Australian organisations, including the University of NSW, CBA, Westpac, Monash University and Melbourne University.

An international quest to find a missing photo album, gifted by New South Wales to the British monarchy in 1882, has made its way to Newcastle.
Newcastle City Library is currently hosting The Queen’s Album, a NSW State Archives touring exhibition commemorating 200 years since the birth of Queen Victoria.
The exhibition showcases a selection of 64 images included in a photo album presented to Queen Victoria, depicting scenes of the colony’s landscapes, people and buildings, as well as the industrial development of Newcastle.
 Three images showcasing the city’s industrial strength and economic progress around 1880 feature in the display, including views of the railway lines, harbour and Customs House,” City of Newcastle Manager Libraries and Learning Suzie Gately said.
“Documents mentioning the gift were rediscovered by the NSW State Archives in 2016, and this exhibition was inspired by the chance discovery last year of plate glass negatives for 48 of the 64 photographs found among the Archive’s 14 million items.”
NSW State Archives Senior Exhibitions Curator Dr Penny Stannard said the exhibition had reignited efforts to find the missing album in a mystery the public has been asked to help solve online and via a #QueensAlbum social media campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
“The history of Newcastle as an industrial city was captured in the album, so we’re delighted to be sharing the exhibition with the local community,” she said.
“If we’re really lucky, it may even spark a new clue to the album’s location.
“Our search for this exquisitely presented collection of photographs given to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle in February 1882 has spanned cultural collections in Australia and overseas to no avail, so we’re turning to the public to help locate it.
“Initial research by the NSW State Archives has revealed a design document and a prototype album, but the whereabouts of the final album is currently unknown.”
The Queen’s Album exhibition will remain on display at the library until Saturday 2 November 2019.
Join the public search for the #QueensAlbum on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram today and see how this unique exhibition unfolded at https://youtu.be/Q0MyO3xTVIQ.
For more information on The Queen’s Album exhibition and the wider NSW State Archives Collection visit https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/
 

The owner of the building recently leased by City of Newcastle as its new head office has agreed that the commercial terms can be made public.
The decision reveals that City of Newcastle secured a lease (gross lettable area) that is significantly less than the average price paid for A-grade office accommodation in the CBD.
 Spartohori Pty Ltd agreed Wednesday to a written request from Lord Mayor Cr Nuatali Nelmes to waive its right to commercial confidentiality over the lease.
 The annual amount to be paid in rent will now be included on City of Newcastle’s contract register, available at:
 www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au/Council/Our-Responsibilities/Access-to-Information/Contracts-Register
 The lease came into effect on 4 September this year, with City of Newcastle securing space within six floors of the new building for 15 years, with a first right of refusal (after the mortgagee) to buy the asset.
 The City will pay $276.92/m2 for the gross lettable area plus 63.36% of outgoings for the building, which is significantly less than the average gross A Grade rental in the Newcastle CBD of $500/m2.
 City of Newcastle’s rent can only increase by CPI, and even then by no more than 3%. This is 1% lower than the standard lease agreement for A-Grade office accommodation in the CBD.
 Lord Mayor Cr Nuatali Nelmes said she requested the owner of 12 Stewart Avenue to make the lease terms public.
 “In 2017 when the elected Council considered the lease, the owner was clear that the terms must be confidential. This is standard business practice noting he was negotiating leases with other parties for the same building.
 “Councillors voted in support of the recommendation to relocate the City’s administration centre to 12 Stewart Avenue and to maintain confidentiality on this information on commercial grounds.
 “With the owner having now finalised all leases for the building, I considered it a fair and reasonable time for the lease to be publicly available.
 “City of Newcastle secured a lease agreement that is significantly less on a per square metre basis than the average lease for A-Grade office accommodation in Newcastle, which is an excellent result for the city,” Cr Nelmes said.
 CEO Jeremy Bath said the favourable terms were reflective of the City of Newcastle’s position as the building’s anchor tenant.
 “The benefits of consolidating 450 staff previously spread across three buildings and 12 floors into one building and across just six floors, are obvious,” he said.
 “There is already noticeably more communication and collaboration occurring, confirming the expected efficiencies of being in the one location. There is an abundance of international research to show that we make better decisions when we collaborate. Council staff are no different.
“An independent business case by CBRE found that ratepayers are at least $13.5 million better off for the relocation. The sale of the Roundhouse building achieves significant savings in building maintenance and avoiding millions of dollars in redeveloping the 43-year-old building.
 “The $13.5 million public benefit calculated by CBRE doesn’t include the $16.5 million proceeds from the sale of the Roundhouse Building or the $22 million in interest that will be generated from investing these funds over the next 20 years. Should the elected Council support the sale of the Fredrick Ash Building next year, then this financial benefit to ratepayers will increase even further.
 “In recognising the financial benefits of leasing our head office over owning it, City of Newcastle has done what many others locally did years ago. Hunter Water, the Newcastle Herald, ANZ, Telstra, RMS, Coles, Kmart, Big W, David Jones and Woolworths have all recognised that there are significant financial gains from leasing a building rather than owning it.
 “The independent business case does not yet include plans to make the ground floor a dual space for customer service as well as the region’s first digital library. This will only enhance the public benefit of the move.”
 Representative and spokesperson for Spartohori Gregory Politis said in his emailed response to the Lord Mayor:
 “Now that lease arrangements, negotiations and commercial matters have been finalised with all tenants at 12 Stewart Avenue, and in the interest of the public good, I am of the mind that the commercial lease between Spartohori Pty Ltd and the City of Newcastle will no longer need to remain confidential on the grounds of commercial in confidence.
 “I therefore agree and permit the lessee to disclose all details pertaining to the above stated lease to the public.
 “I appreciate your patience and understanding regarding this commercial matter.”
 The total amount to be paid annually is:
 Rent – $2.080 million
Outgoings – $482,509
99 car spaces – $272,250
 Forecast rental income from the sublease of one floor with 20 car spaces – $500,000.
 Net expense – $2.335m
 Rent and outgoings for the new office are fully provided for in CN’s 2019/20 budget which was approved by the elected Council in June.

They say every dog has its day, and that is certainly the case for local pooches who can now roam free in the city’s first fenced dog park.
The new facility at Acacia Avenue Reserve, North Lambton was officially opened today with creatures great and small converging on the park to celebrate.
Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen said the unveiling of the dog park is fantastic for our dog-loving city and is the culmination of significant community feedback.
“After a strong response to the development of our Dogs in Open Space Plan, including more than 1,000 community submissions, it was clear that catering for our four-legged friends is extremely important to our city,” he said.
“Delivering a fenced off-leash area for the city came through as one of the major pieces of feedback and we’ve worked since then on identifying the best location in consultation with the community.
“The community’s input has been reflected in the unique way the park has been constructed with special areas for both large and small dogs to play in comfort. I’m thrilled with this space and know it will be a vibrant and popular place for people and their pets to be active and play outside.”
Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said the new park was a premier facility for dog owners wanting their pets to enjoy time off-leash and socialising in a contained environment.
“The dog park is encircled by a 1.5 metre-high chain-mesh fence and contains 452 metres of accessible pathway throughout,” the Lord Mayor said.
“The park is now equipped with two shelters and tables, two dog bubblers and dog dispenser bags, ensuring comfort for dogs and their owners.
“A unique and popular feature of the park is the dedicated areas for small and large dogs to enjoy. The 1.5 hectare fenced area is the ultimate space for pet owners to bring their dogs without the worry of them wandering off into traffic.”
The City of Newcastle has one of the highest rates of dog ownership in the State with more than 44,300 registered dogs calling the city home.
The existing off-leash area at the reserve’s lower level will be retained providing an overflow from the fenced area.
City of Newcastle rangers were on hand at the opening event to provide free microchipping, dog care packs and information on responsible dog ownership.