Ron Cooper, Kingscliff
Using our rates to send Cr Longland to Western Australia to pick up an award for consultation in Kingscliff is a travesty.
Consultation that concealed Kingscliff’s historical and ongoing opposition to buildings over three stories.
Consultation that had mistakenly or deliberately converted the three storey height limit to four storeys when they changed the measurement from 11.0 metres to 13.6 metres.
Consultation that ignored the largest survey ever conducted in the Tweed that showed 97% support for the three storey height limit.
Consultation that is being further discredited by a current petition in support of the three storey (11.0 mtrs) limit – a petition that has achieved over 2000 signatures in ten days and growing.
Consultation that failed to address the further increase in congestion that would be forced on us as a result of increased building heights.
Consultation that promoted a public park in the middle of town without providing extra parking – a further attack on retailing in Kingscliff.
Consultation that didn’t disclose the potential revenue loss to Council and to business by reducing the capacity of the caravan park.
Consultation that didn’t disclose the increased cost to ratepayers of the maintenance of this elaborate park.
Consultation that gave us the failed one-way street conversion – that told us we would get fifty extra car parks when we only got thirty-two – that made the street more dangerous – that saw businesses lose revenue and one failing completely – that falsely claimed there wouldn’t be resulting traffic problems – that promised a trial of this one-way but then pulled out when they realised that it would expose the folly of the proposal.
Council is spending large amounts of money to sell us dumb ideas. Using Kingscliff as a plaything for planners really has to stop.
Using Kingscliff to add underserved loot to the trophy cabinet is little more than C.V. padding for bureaucrats and a photo opportunity for a councillor struggling to hide his erratic performance.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
