Tidying up committee loose ends

KATINA CURTIS

THE council held a reception last week to thank the members of the Tidy Towns Committee for their contribution to the Kiama community.

In May the council decided to replace the committee with the Kiama Sustainability Project Group, which will start later this year.

Mayor Sandra McCarthy said the committee had worked hard to encourage active involvement of resident, community groups and businesses to improve and look after the environment. She said thanks and goodbye to members.

"But in doing so, we haven't said no to sustainable environmental practices within this community," she said. "The work you have done, our community can be very proud of that and the benefits will be here for a long time to come."

The committee's achievements were many, but most significantly they were instrumental in Kiama winning NSW and national Tidy Town of the Year awards in 1995.

Cr McCarthy said some members of the Tidy Towns Committee would be called on to advise the new group and some of their initiatives would be taken under the new umbrella.

Les Davey, a founding member and longtime chairman of the committee, congratulated the residents of Gerringong, Gerroa, Jamberoo and Kiama for "the spirit of Tidy Town that exists in these areas".