Anyone who believes that council is genuinely concerned about preserving the cultural heritage of the Bega Valley should take quick walk along Carp Street in Bega & count the number of historic buildings lost to development over the past 50 years, ruining the streetscape in comparison to many regional towns that have fiercely protected their history.
Alternatively, they could read about council’s more recent failed attempt to “
relocate” the cherished
Dr Evershed Memorial Clock Tower in
Bega, without community consultation & allegedly to allow for the construction of a set of traffic lights, but rumoured by some to be an attempt to facilitate a nearby commercial development.
They might also care to reflect on council’s actions that almost resulted in the destruction of the iconic
Pretty Point Bridge the following year.
Or, they could read the
agenda item for today’s
Ordinary Meeting of council, where it is proposed that council impose & collect a commercial rent on a heritage property that is owned by the
Bega Valley Historical Society (BVHS) (notwithstanding the fact that the title is in council’s name as
Trustee for the
Society), while also considering the eviction of the longstanding tenant of the
Old Pambula Court House, the
Bega Valley Genealogy Society, if it can’t meet council’s usurious rent demands.
So, how much does council really care about preserving the Bega Valley’s cultural heritage?
It seems very little.
Council speaks about the Bega Pioneers’ Museum as if it owns it, when indeed it is simply the Trustee for the BVHS, bound to serve the wishes of the Society’s members or resign its Trusteeship. But our council doesn’t worry about such niceties & as such hasn’t even consulted the Society about its arguably illegal grab for cash.
But who is really surprised by its disgusting & arguably dishonest behaviour?
Back in 2017, the Society asked council to detail the implications of it requesting council to transfer the title back into the Society’s name. It DID NOT request council to affect such a transfer. It was simply seeking to explore the financial implications of doing so as part of its attempt to create a long term plan to preserve its property & protect the interests of the Society.
Council has subsequently whined & moaned about having spent thousands of dollars on legal fees preparing a property transfer that it decided to pursue on its own volition & without having consulted the Society beforehand.
Council has never spent a dime on maintaining the Bega Pioneers’ Museum, either in its own right or as Trustee for the Society.
At the same time, it effectively destroyed the commercial value of the property by placing a caveat on its title, preventing its sale without council’s approval, but also effectively destroying the Society’s capacity to use the property as collateral for borrowings to affect essential structural repairs & maintenance,
That’s how much council cares about the Bega Valley’s Cultural Heritage.
The Bega Valley Genealogy Society (BVGS) has occupied the Old Pambula Court House since 1992, initially as a tenant of the owner, the Crown Lands Department & then as a licensee of council from 2015.
The Society has limited financial means but has nevertheless maintained the Old Court House through its entire tenancy, with Crown Lands & council making little if any contribution to its upkeep. In return, the Society has benefited from a very low annual rent of $559.63.
Then, this year council decided to conduct a rent review which resulted in an initial attempt to increase the annual rent to $9,845 (a 1,758% increase) but subsequently adjusted to $4,335 (only a paltry 774% increase but still way beyond the means of the Society).
While council has been advised that there is little chance of finding a tenant for the Old Pambula Court House for the expected annual rental it is proposing, should the BVGS be forced to vacate, it obviously seems determined to try & gouge the Society for as much as it can.
This from a council that the association believes has historically squandered hundreds of thousands of dollars in pursuing commercial developments of questionable value to residents & ratepayers.
The association has asked council what contribution that Crown Lands makes to the upkeep of the Old Pambula Court House, but thus far it has failed to respond.
That also speaks to how much council cares about the Cultural Heritage of the Bega Valley.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au