photo: Paul Gordon-Smith Feb 06

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Riverina Highlands Rail Trails Committee

(A sub-committee of the Riverina Regional Development Board)

CHARTER

1.          Name

The Committee is convened as a sub-committee of the Riverina Regional Development Board under Strategic Sectors 9 (Tourism) and 5 (Community Economic Development) and shall be known as the Riverina Highlands Rail Trails Committee (RHRTC).

 

2.          Purpose of the Committee

The primary purpose of the Committee is to provide advice and recommendations to the Riverina Regional Development Board (RRDB) on processes and actions required to plan, develop and implement rail trails on disused railway corridors between Tumut and Batlow and Wagga Wagga and Tumbarumba, for use principally by walkers and cyclists.

 

3.          Objectives of the Committee

The objectives of the Committee are to:

a)             Promote the economic and health benefits of developing rail trails within disused rail line corridors in the designated locations.

b)             Conduct a feasibility study to determine the feasibility of using the disused rail line corridors for rail trails

c)             Obtain suitable funding to conduct a feasibility study for the rail trails in the designated locations

d)             Lobby the State Government to obtain support for the rail trails proposals            

e)             Work closely with the Local Government areas through which the proposed rail trails pass and to obtain the support of those Councils, either in cash or kind

f)             Consult effectively with the various communities along the proposed rail trails

d)             Promote the benefits for people from within and outside the region using the rail trails to improve personal wellbeing through exercise.

e)             Obtain funding to effect staged construction of rail trails   in the designated locations.

 

4.          Structure and membership

a)             The Riverina Highlands Rail Trails Commiteee is a sub-committee of the Riverina Regional Development Board and members shall be subject to the same rules of operation as the RRDB members including declarations of pecuniary interest and conflicts of interest, ethical conduct and conduct generally at meetings. The Committee is defined in Appendix 1.

b)             The quorum for the committee is half the number of members plus one. A Council is considered as one member.

c)             Each member of the committee shall have one vote (except in the case of a tied vote when the Chairperson of the Committee shall have a casting vote)

d)             The committee may co-opt additional members to provide specialist advice or assistance. The co-opted members shall sit on the committee for the period required to provide the advice or assistance and will not have any voting rights.

e)             The committee may invite observers to attend meetings for the purpose of clarifying matters before the committee. The observer does not have a vote

 

5.          Term

The term of the committee is until the designated rail trails are successfullycompleted or until the RRDB shall cease operations or be unable for any reason unable to accept the RHRTC as a sub committee of the Board.

 

6.          Procedures & general

1.             The Riverina Regional Development Board will convene and coordinate the committee meetings

2.             The Chairman and Secretary of the Committee shall be elected annually by sub committee members at the June meeting and together with Executive Officer from RRDB will comprise the Committee Executive.

3.             The Executive officer of RRDB will assist the committee, where possible, with any administration matters

4.             The committee will meet monthly or at such other intervals as may be determined from time to time by the committee

5.             3 days clear notice of an ordinary meeting will be provided

6.             A special meeting may be called in circumstances where the Chairperson or the majority of the Executive so determine and one clear day notice will be given.

6.             Minutes will be taken at each meeting by the Secretary or any other member nominated by the committee in the event of the Secretary's absence, and such minutes will be distributed to RHRTC members as soon as possible.

7.             The Executive Officer of RRDB will provide written reports and recommendations, where appropriate, to meetings of the RRDB from time to time.

8.             The committee may recommend amendments to this charter but any such amendment will not come into effect until the RRDB has resolved to accept the amendment.

 

Appendix 1

Riverina Highlands Rail Trails Committee Membership

•  The Executive Officer of Riverina Regional Development Board (or his nominee from the Board )

•  Owen Fitzgerald(Chair)

•  Paul Gordon-Smith (Secretary)

•  Two representatives each from Wagga Wagga City Council, Greater Hume Shire Council, Tumbarumba Shire Council and Tumut Shire Council

•  One representative from Department of Lands at Wagga Wagga.