The Blackshaw Road/Sloane Street intersection has recorded several near misses and even local police had expressed concern, Cr Andrew Banfield told the most recent council meeting. 

In coming months, the design will be changed to stop motorists turning right from Blackshaw Road into Sloane and vice versa.

The decision at the most recent council meeting came despite Mayor Bob Kirk’s opposition. He argued the majority of people surveyed did not support the move.

The traffic committee, which Cr Banfield chairs, decided to alter the intersection, subject to community consultation. A total 640 letter were sent to “Eastgrove residents and surrounds.” It was also posted on the council’s Facebook page. Some 184 people returned the survey.

While 80 per cent said they experienced congestion at the intersection, 70pc stated it didn’t deter them from using it. Fifty-six per cent did not want it closed, while 43pc did. 

Cr Kirk proposed an alternative motion, maintaining the current design.

“The feedback is that people are not perturbed by the delays and have asked us not to close it,” he told the meeting.

“Our job is to represent the community but here we are being asked to do the opposite...While I personally would like to see it left turn in, left turn out, that’s not the view of the community.”

The traffic committee had recommended it be closed. But Cr Kirk argued if it were to happen at all, it should be after the new Lansdowne Bridge was built and vehicle volumes had dropped off.

However Cr Banfield said the survey results were misleading; the issue was not about congestion but traffic flow.  Motorists entering the roundabout indicated left in line with road laws but were frequently misinterpreted to be turning left into Blackshaw Road.

“There have been several near misses there and it’s only a pinch we haven’t had an accident,” he said.

Cr Banfield argued that given police support for the change, safety should take the priority over congestion concerns.

He won support from his colleagues, including Cr Peter Walker who said cars were sometimes banked up over the railway line.

Cr Kirk told the meeting he wasn’t aware of the police report but was “sticking to his digs” nonetheless.  

The council has refused a request from a business owner to create a private access off Auburn Street, across Manfred Park.

The owner, who bought the Old Band Hall in Clinton Street from the council in 2012, asked for the access to facilitate a residential development opportunity at the rear. He has now redeveloped the front of the site into a refrigeration, air-conditioning and heating business. 

A large stormwater drain at the rear of the building limits the land’s full usage without construction of a small bridge.

Growth, strategy and culture director Louise Wakefield reported that the owner had made previous enquiries about establishing a right of carriageway over council land, which was zoned Public Recreation. 

But its Community classification did not allow this. Further, a public hearing into Manfred Park’s status several years ago had confirmed this status.

It could only be reclassified through a planning proposal and another public hearing.

“This option is not supported as it sets a precedence for the council to consider other such requests,” Mrs Wakefield reported.

“...The request does not identify how a new public road over Manfred Park would facilitate the enjoyment of the community land, nor does it justify the use of public open space to create access to a potential private development of 10 dwellings.”

Cr Margaret O’Neill wanted to defer the matter for clarification but this was not supported.

Councillors voted to deny the request and to encourage exploration of other adjoining land in private ownership as an alternative for access “before considering the land’s reclassification.”

An increased council ranger presence netted 30 parking infringements in Goulburn’s CBD last month.

Figures tendered at the most recent meeting also revealed that rangers patrolled on 21 days in May and conducted 10 checks in school zones.

Cr Sam Rowland has regularly asked about the patrols and was told by senior staff last month that resources would be restored to former levels with the filling of several vacancies.

The Goulburn Library has started the mammoth task of labeling and relocating the Kenmore Hospital photographic collection.

The Kenmore Hospital museum closed in 2011, forcing relocation of its vast collection, some of which went to Sydney. In recent months library staff started work on its historic photos.

“This is a very important and significant collection, and work to increase its visibility and (public) access is long overdue,” a council report stated. The Library is also starting a family history course this month.

Construction of the council’s new depot in Hetherington Street is expected to be over budget.

A report to the June 20 meeting stated that $2.7 million was initially allocated for the project but current expenditure was $2,706,347. This was due to the inclusion of “unbudgeted items” and a higher than anticipated price for the new office.

The over-expenditure was expected to be covered by under-spending on other items, the report stated.

Construction of the Mary/Robinson Street roundabout was also $24,000 over budget. A total $471,000 was originally allocated but it had risen to $495,300. This was also expected to be covered by under-expenditure on other items, staff wrote.