21 C
Byron Shire
February 6, 2025

Ballina councillors to lead region on water, weeds and flooding

Latest News

Where are our koalas?

Things are getting scary for koalas as their habitat is reduced daily, but communities are getting together to monitor local koala populations for the purpose of conservation.

Other News

Lions Road to be closed (temporarily)

Scenic Lions Road between Standfields Bridge and the Queensland border crossing will be closed to through traffic from Monday 17 February to mid-June while Kyogle Council replaces six culverts damaged in the February 2022 floods.

Where are our koalas?

Things are getting scary for koalas as their habitat is reduced daily, but communities are getting together to monitor local koala populations for the purpose of conservation.

Ocean Shores and South Golden Beach without power overnight

With a temperature that only got down as far as 22º, residents felt the heat last night as power and ceiling fans, dropped out.

Law Enforcement Conduct Commission monitor Casino investigation

Following an alleged police pursuit and crash in Casino at 4.10am on Saturday, 25 January, 2025 the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission is independently monitoring the investigation of the critical incident.

Electoral inquiry

In discussions on TV, Senator Don Farrell, preparing the final report on the 2022 federal election, stated that he...

Why war?

In reference to David Heilpern’s editorial, (Comment, January 15) Is land sharing the future? I would say that if...

Mullumbimby in flood during ex-Cyclone Debbie in 2017. Photo supplied.

Balllina Shire Councillor Keith Williams has been re-elected as chairperson of the Rous County Council, a group representing four councils on the Northern Rivers.

The council isn’t as commonly known with residents in the region as individual member councils voted in via public elections.

But with issues of water security and flood mitigation in the region becoming increasingly serious, the role of the Rous County Council is likely to attract more attention in the near future.

The county council is responsible for delivering bulk water, weed biosecurity and flood mitigation services to the Lismore, Ballina, Byron and Richmond Valley local government areas.

It also oversees weed biosecurity in the Tweed and Kyogle shires.

Each member council is represented by two councillors in the Rous County Council.

Councillors are elected on four-year terms but the positions of chair and deputy chair are elected every year.

Long-term water security solution needed, says Cr Williams

Last week, councillors unanimously voted for Cr Williams to continue in his role as chair, with fellow Ballina Shire Councillor Sharon Cadwallader elected as deputy chair.

Ballina Councillor Keith Williams has been re-elected chair of Rous County Council. Photo supplied

It will be Cr Williams’ third and final term as chairperson before local government elections next year.

Cr Williams has highlighted the issue of water security in a Rous County Council press release, saying a long-term solution was needed: something ‘sustainable for the community and the environment’.

The council oversees water supply from the Rocky Creek Dam and Emigrant Creek Dam for around 100,000 people on the Northern Rivers.

Cr Cadwallader said the council had ‘gone from strength to strength since its amalgamation’ and she was honoured to have been elected deputy chair.

Byron Shire Council is represented on the Rous County Council by Mayor Simon Richardson and Independent Councillor Basil Cameron.

Lismore City Cr Vanessa Ekins and Deputy Mayor Darlene Cook are on the council along with Richmond Valley Mayor Robert Mustow and Cr Sandra Humphry.


Support The Echo

Keeping the community together and the community voice loud and clear is what The Echo is about. More than ever we need your help to keep this voice alive and thriving in the community.

Like all businesses we are struggling to keep food on the table of all our local and hard working journalists, artists, sales, delivery and drudges who keep the news coming out to you both in the newspaper and online. If you can spare a few dollars a week – or maybe more – we would appreciate all the support you are able to give to keep the voice of independent, local journalism alive.

1 COMMENT

  1. That’s 158,000 with peaks of use for Parklands Splendour events, granted Consent since Rous declared that we need to reduce water usage as our supply is heading to being “unstable”, and noting that Richardson has been a recipient of Political Donations from the Parklands property developers

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Trump says USA will ‘take over’ Gaza

Those who thought President Donald Trump could not be any worse than President Joe Biden on the Gaza issue had a rude awakening yesterday after his surreal press conference at the White House with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Indigenous crime prevention program scrapped

The closure of an educational program for at-risk Aboriginal youth in the region is being suggested as one reason behind the recent jump in crime in the Northern Rivers.

Alarm raised over possible Varroa mite infestation

Tyagarah residents are alarmed at what they believe to be Varroa mite infested hives in the nature reserve.

Truth warriors of the fifth estate to the rescue

Before the revolution in 1789, France was divided into three estates. The first estate, the clergy, held great sway over society and the power to levy a ten per cent tax – the tithe…