Issue of footpath dining splits council

Calls to ramp up footpath dining in Waverley have split Council in two with Labor and Liberal councillors squarely divided on the issue.

The divide led to Labor Councillor Ingrid Strewe initiating a proposal for a six-month moratorium on any further decisions about the approval of new or extended seating. But the motion was repealed by Liberal councillors.

“I had hoped to be able to work out with my colleagues if we were able to ascertain what a suitable mix of cafes and other services would be, but the Liberals don’t want to,” said Ms Strewe.

“[Mayor Sally Betts] moved a minute that it was holding up business. In my opinion, Sally always puts business before residents.”

A moratorium on new footpath seating has already been in place for a year. Ms Strewe is keen to introduce “diversity in our strip for shopping villages and to possibly slow the spread of bars”.

With the current moratorium due to expire this month and an extension rejected, Council will need to decide on how to approve footpath dining.

The Liberals are in favour of a merit system.

“Each footpath seating application should be assessed on its own merits and in its own context, like any application lodged with Council,” said Liberal Councillor Tony Kay.

“A ‘one size fits all’ restriction on new footpath seating will not work in Waverley.”

The Liberals argue they share concern for residents, insisting a merit system would be advantageous.

“[It] would consider safety and convenience of pedestrian movement, [and] its contribution to the public domain,” said Mr Kay. “And [the] impact on residential amenity from noise, parking, and operating hours.

“As long as the businesses do not impact unduly on residential amenity, they should be supported. Labor says they support small business, but their actions say the opposite.”

Ms Strewe would like to see a standardised system where certain criteria must be met.

According to Ms Strewe, the system would attempt to address the “noise, impassable footpaths, late night drinking and a loss of diversity in our shopping villages” she said currently exists.