As reported last week, funding sources for Byron Bay masterplan projects are apparently needed, and at Thursday’s meeting, mayor Simon Richardson (Greens) was successful in gaining support to allocate ‘at least 50 per cent’ of Byron Bay’s pay-parking revenue to ‘masterplan projects’ from the 2018–2019 financial year.
Cr Paul Spooner (Labor) was unsuccessful in his motion to secure all Byron paid-parking revenue to masterplan projects. A staff report in Council’s agenda explained that pay-parking funds were pegged for infrastructure renewal commitments.
Cr Spooner said, ‘When it was proposed, it was clear there was an income stream for the masterplan projects: $1.2m was sitting in Section 94 funds.’
‘It was suggested that we match it dollar for dollar. But we didn’t follow that path. So we need to clean this up. Pay parking was adopted not for new projects and was for asset renewal.’
What’s a S94?
According to the NSW independent oversight body IPART, ‘Section 94 contributions plans set out the local infrastructure required to meet the demand from new development, and the contributions a council can levy on developers to fund the necessary land and works.’
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