Parramatta. Council improves DA processing

Parramatta City Council achieved a 65 per cent reduction in outstanding DAs over 80 days, a 49 per cent increase in the percentage of DAs determined within 40 days (net) and a 118 per cent increase in the percentage of DAs determined within 40 days (gross), according to council’s 2009/10 annual report issued in December. Council made significant improvement in DA processing times, with a 22 per cent improvement in net mean processing times and a 36 per cent improvement in gross mean processing time over the previous year.

Parramatta. Economic team refocussed

Parramatta City Council refocussed its economic development team in 2009/10 to work more closely on attracting commercial investment and monitoring future growth of the city, and it supported consideration of the reinstatement of a Parramatta economic development board in 2010/11, according to its latest annual report published in December. Council spent $500,000 of the economic development special rate in 2009/10.

Parramatta. Five-year tourism plan

Parramatta City Council is expected to issue a five-year tourism action plan in the first quarter 2011, following an extensive market research, tourism planning and product development project funded by a federal government grant of $500,000. Council said in its 2009/10 annual report, published in December, that it produced a series of prospectuses to encourage potential tourism operators to establish in the city.