The Local Government and Shires Association of New South Wales (LGSA) has held the 14th annual Local Government Excellence in Environment Awards, recognising the excellent conduct of 49 councils across 12 categories.

 

President of the Local Government Association of NSW, Cr Keith Rhoades AFSM, congratulated Willoughby City Council for being announced Overall Winner of the Local Sustainability Award, and for its commitment meeting a greenhouse gas reduction target of 50% of 1999 figures by 2010.

 

"I congratulate Willoughby City Council, who achieved this goal though developing stormwater harvesting and recycling projects as well as installing a cogeneration plant at the local leisure centre, and numerous solar farms throughout the city," said Cr Rhoades.

 

"Willoughby City Council is a great example of why Local Government is at the forefront of sustainability and environmental best practice. I congratulate all winners and nominees on their strong commitment to achieving sustainable results for their communities," he said.

 

The winners are as follows:

 

Communication, Education & Empowerment

  • Winner A Division - Cowra Shire Council: Energise Central NSW
  • Winner B Division -Woollahra Municipal Council: 2010 Woollahra Environmental Schools Sculpture Prize
  • Highly Commended B Division - Great Lakes Council: Great Lakes Sustainable Business Program
  • Winner C Division & Overall Category Winner -Bankstown City Council: Recycle Right!  Contamination Reduction Campaign
  • Highly Commended C Division - City of Canada Bay: Operation Green Bottle
  • Highly Commended C Division - Lake Macquarie City Council: Lake Macquarie Council's 10:10 Challenge

 

Community Sharps Management Award

  • Winner C Division & Overall Category Winner - Riverina Eastern Regional Organisation of Councils (REROC): Safe Sharps
  • Highly Commended C Division - Willoughby City Council: Community Sharps Management Programme
  • Highly Commended C Division - Holroyd City Council: Get Smart about Community Sharps


Energy Saving & Climate Change Adaptation / Mitigation

  • Winner A Division - Cootamundra Shire Council: Small Town - Big Solar
  • Winner C Division & Overall Category Winner - Willoughby City Council: Carbon Reduction Strategy
  • Highly Commended C Division - HCCREMS: Regional Planning for Collaborative Climate Action


Natural Environment Policies, Planning and Decision Making

  • Winner A Division - Palerang Council: Water resources mapping
  • Highly Commended A Division - Cowra Shire Council: Aboriginal Consultation Policy
  • Winner B Division & Joint Overall Category Winner - Albury City Council: Biodiversity Certification of Albury LEP2010
  • Highly Commended B Division - Great Lakes Council: Adoption and implementation of the Wallis Lake Wetlands Strategy
  • Winner C Division & Joint Overall Category Winner - Wagga Wagga City Council: Biodiversity Certification Of The Wagga Wagga Local Environmental Plan
  • Highly Commended C Division - North Sydney Council: North Sydney Urban Forest Strategy
  • Highly Commended C Division - Wollongong City Council in partnership with Kiama Municipal Council and Shellharbour City Council: Biodiversity Beyond Boundaries


Natural Environment Protection & Enhancement: On-Ground Works

  • Winner A Division - Inverell Shire Council: Bridge to Bridge Project
  • Winner B Division - Regional partnership between Uralla, Walcha, Guyra, Armidale Dumaresq Shire Councils and managed by Southern New England Landcare: High Country Urban Biodiversity project
  • Highly Commended B Division - Greater Taree City Council: Cattai Wetlands - a Hidden Gem in our Valley
  • Winner C Division & Overall Category Winner - Tweed and Byron Shire Councils: Tweed Byron Bush Futures Project: Improving Urban and Peri-Urban Bushland Sustainability in Tweed and Byron Shires
  • Highly Commended C Division - Shoalhaven City Council: Coexistance of threatened species and routine maintenance activities
  • Highly Commended C Division - Shellharbour City Council : Building Backyard Biodiversity - Blackbutt to Croom Urban Biodiversity Corridor
  • Highly Commended C Division - Sutherland Shire Council: Taren Point Shorebird Reserve


Roadside Environmental Management Award

  • Winner A Division - Cooma-Monaro Shire Council: Cooma-Monaro Shire Council Native Roadside Vegetation GIS Layer
  • Winner B Division & Overall Category Winner - Mid-Western Regional Council: Roadside Corridor Management Project
  • Winner C Division - HCCREMS: Regional Roadside Vegetation Marker Scheme


Waste Avoidance

  • Winner A Division - Strathfield Municipal Council: Resource Recovery Project
  • Winner B Division - Woollahra Council : Kitchen to Compost
  • Winner C Divisions & Overall Category Winner - Penrith City Council: Organic Recycling Collection and Composting Service
  • Highly Commended C Division - Wyong Shire Council - Alternative recycling options for the Wyong Shire Community
  • Highly Commended C Divisio - Wollongong City Council: Trial On-Call Household Cleanup Service
  • Highly Commended C Division - The Hills Shire Council: Avoiding The Garbo


Water Conservation

  • Winner A Division - Tumut Shire Council: Tumut Shire Council Reclaiming Water
  • Winner B Division & Overall Category Winner - Eurobodalla Shire Council: Eurobodalla WaterSmart Business Program
  • Highly Commended C Division - North Sydney Council: Stormwater Reuse in North Sydney
  • Highly Commended C Division - Wollongong City Council: No drips no drops: 50% reduction in water consumption at Council's Administration Building
  • Joint Winner C Division - Willoughby City Council: Chatswood Integrated Flood Mitigation And Stormwater Reuse Scheme
  • Joint Winner C Division - Submitted on behalf of the 75 Regional Councils that participated in the program: Water Loss Management Program


Sustainable Procurement

  • Winner B Division & Overall Category Winner - Lismore City Council
  • Winner C Division - Penrith City Council


Local Sustainability

  • Winner C Division & Overall Category Winner - Willoughby City Council: A Sustainable Willoughby
  • Highly Commended C Division - Lake Macquarie City Council: The City of Lake Macquarie Environmental Sustainability Action Plan 2011-2018
  • Highly Commended C Division - Bankstown City Council: Bankstown Environmental Action Plan 2010-2014


Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability

  • Winner - Elisa Idris, Kogarah City Council
  • Highly Commended - Chris Munro, Woollahra Municipal Council