Final Public Meeting

What is this Public Meeting all about?

By law, we must run a Public Participation process to make sure that all property owners know what they will be voting on when voting opens after the final Public Meeting on 28 September 2023.

The main agenda item for this meeting will be the presentation of the Final Business Plan. During the 30-day comment period which followed the 1st Public meeting, the draft Business Plan discussed at that meeting will have been shaped into the Final Business Plan.

For most property owners, the key things will be the proposed costs and benefits included in the final Business Plan.  

Property owners and other affected parties will still be able to comment on the proposed CID but voting for and against can start as soon as this meeting closes.

How have we got here and where are we going?

• The First Public Meeting:  A draft business plan was officially presented to property owners on 17 August 2023

• A 30-day comment period ended on 16 September 2023

• The Steering Committee is now working to incorporate those comments, as necessary, into the final Business Plan.

• The Final Public Meeting:  on Thursday 28 September that final Business Plan will be presented

• Voting will be opened after that meeting

Emails giving notice of this meeting were sent to everyone on the City's property database on 16/09/23  That list is imperfect and if you did not get that email, you can click here to view it in a browser.

The same list was sent a reminder email on 26/09/23.  You can view that here.

There was also an extensive WhatsApp campaign in the week before the meeting.  About 25 WhatsApp security and chat groups, all based in the CID area posted the following message:

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Newlands CID Urgent Update - Voting opens soon:

At 18:00 on Thursday 28th Sept, there will be a final Public Meeting at the Scout Hall in Greenford Road, for property owners to learn about the Newlands CID application.  Please attend if you want to know anything more about this important proposal.

In August about 200 property owners and interested parties attended the first Public Meeting.  The feedback received since then has been incorporated into the final Business Plan. This will be presented on Thursday. We can confirm that neither the proposed supplementary services, nor the cost to homeowners have changed. 

The really important thing is that after Thursday’s meeting, property owners can cast their vote for or against the proposed CID.

It is critical that all property owners do vote in this ‘referendum’!

The volunteer Steering Committee strongly believe that this is the right way forward for our area, as do more than 50 other neighbourhoods in Cape Town, including most of our neighbours.  But to make it happen we need at least 60% of property owners to vote in favour of the CID. 

Please don’t think that it won't matter if you don't vote – it will because the City will automatically count non-voters as No votes.  If we miss this chance, it won't come around again soon. 

Not sure what it’s all about?

1. This link takes you to the invitation for Thursday’s meeting. Please attend if you can!   The invitation includes the background to the CID application, a list of FAQs and other useful links.   

2. The Newlands CID website has information on all aspects of the CID proposal www.newlandscid.org

3. Email any questions to info@newlandscid.org.  One of the Steering Committee will get back to you personally

4. WhatsApp March Turnbull on 0769155423

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The slide deck presented at the final Public Meeting is available below.  

The draft minutes below are also from the final Public Meeting which was held on Thursday, 28/09/23. They will be amended over the next fortnight as errors and omissions are reviewed from attendees.