Candidates seeking election to Tweed Shire Council at the upcoming rescheduled poll later this month have been urged to comply with rules over political signs which have proliferated around the shire recently.
Council staff have been forced to crackdown on illegal signs on private and public property at past elections following complaints, and posters and large billboards have again become part of the Tweed landscape as the Saturday 29 October election looms.
Shire managers say all posters and signage containing electoral material must comply with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 Subdivision 13 – Election signs.
They say no signs are allowed in council’s road reserves, either free-standing pole signs or those attached to trees or street furniture.
‘Election signs can be affixed to private telegraph poles, however the owner needs to be certain the pole is not owned by an electricity provider as legal action has occurred elsewhere in the state,’ a council press release warns.
‘Council officers will remove signs from public property if they are not standard-sized corflute with appropriate content or if they are in a dangerous location,’ it says.
‘All signage connected to power poles will be reported to Essential Energy for their attention and action.
‘Signs can be attached to the walls of houses or commercial buildings, as long as they adhere to size limitations in state regulations and are not attached to heritage or draft heritage items.’
Signs that don’t comply may be impounded and council will impose a fee for retrieval.
Council officers will monitor the issue and say that any signs remaining one week after the election will be removed and impounded.
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