Ballina Shire Council’s August meeting covered refugees, parks, rubbish collection and development issues, with controversy over local government ward boundaries spilling over into an additional meeting the following week.
Proceedings opened with a debate about whether welcome packs should be provided to international refugees who have come to Ballina. This was ultimately supported with only Cr Nigel Buchanan opposed.
There was then a mayoral minute from Cr Sharon Cadwallader, encouraging council to prepare a plan to identify embellishments to Walsh Park in Wardell (which might include goalposts and a community garden), considering that the main recreation grounds in town are now occupied by a pod village.
The motion was carried unanimously after a failed amendment and debate.
Amendments
After morning tea, Ballina Council voted to adopt amendments to the Ballina Shire Development Control Plan regarding the latest plans for Ballina Heights Commercial Area, and endorsed new planning/mapping adjustments for locations near the junction of Ross Lane and the Coast Road and in the Cumbalum Urban Release Area.
In a discussion about fossil fuel investments Cr Rod Bruem said Ballina was heading in the right direction, with council’s fossil fuel free investments going up slightly from 42 to 43.2 percent.
Unfortunately the fine print shows that fossil fuel aligned (and non-green) investments are still at 52.5 per cent, with 4.3 per cent being unclassified.
Council wrote off rates, charges and interest totalling $5,408, before debating whether to support Marine Rescue NSW to the tune of $11,200 for computer and jet boat-related costs. This was ultimately supported, with only Cr Phil Meehan voting against.
There was then a long and acrimonious debate about local government ward boundaries in Ballina, followed up by an Extraordinary Meeting about the same issue the following week. Mayor Sharon Cadwallader and her allies ultimately prevailed, by a narrow margin.
Earnings, signs and rubbish
Flat Rock Tent Park charges went up, and council unanimously accepted policy review into Farmland Rating policy and an update of legal matters, with a large electric sign on Bangalow being knocked back, the RSL’s similar sign being preserved, and various developers fighting Ballina Council in court, notably Gemlife.
A financial review showed earnings were up from the airport and Ballina Visitors Centre, before council agreed to privatise the rest of their garbage collection service, including selling off the waste collection trucks.
Only Crs Jeff Johnson and Eva Ramsey were opposed.
During a debate about financial assistance for community groups, it was revealed the CWA now had to hire back the same hall they originally donated to Ballina Council.
A motion to allow large community groups with multiple bank accounts for different services to submit more than one application per year for support was blocked, as was an amendment for Ballina Council to donate $500 to the Lennox Head Residents Association Boomerang Bags Committee for venue hire (this went down on the casting vote of the mayor).
There was unanimous support for an 0.5 per cent increase in the General Manager’s salary, with councillors unanimously agreeing his twelve month performance review was positive.
More fun next month!
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