With one last chance for councillors to justify their existence before being reshuffled, Ballina’s final meeting before next month’s local government elections is happening tomorrow. There’s a packed agenda, including a DA decision which will affect whether WardellCORE can continue at their current site of operations.
Ballina Council is currently considering whether the popular community organisation can continue to use the old bank building at 3 Sinclair Street, and formalise minor associated alterations and additions.
Following the 2022 floods, the Ballina Local Environmental Plan was amended to allow the temporary use of the structure, but a DA is required to continue this use beyond 1 September 2024.
The DA has received 95 submissions while on exhibition, with 74 noting the ongoing benefits which WardellCORE offers the community in terms of programs and services, and 21 opposed for various reasons.
Issues include traffic and parking, heritage conservation, and issues affecting the streetscape and neighbours.
Council staff are recommending that WardellCORE be allowed to continue, with some modifications to the DA.
Other issues
Cr Eva Ramsey is bringing a question with notice and two motions to the August meeting.
The question relates to opening two large blocks of flood-prone private land between the junction of Byron Bay Road and Ross Lane for possible industrial use.
Cr Ramsey’s first motion is about murals for the East Ballina and Lennox Head water reservoirs. The second motion is about bringing a police station to Lennox Head.
Cr Kiri Dicker also has a notice of motion relating to the proposed Telstra tower art Newrybar, seeking to co-locate it with the NBN tower to minimise disruption to residents.
The Martin Street Boat Harbour concept plan is also to be discussed.
Ballina Council’s final meeting before the elections can be attended in person from 9am at the chambers in Ballina, or via livestream here.
More stories about Ballina Shire Council:
Construction on a $4.35 million flood-resilience upgrade of Ross Lane at Lennox Head is due to begin today, ahead of a nine-week closure of the busy road later this month. With Ballina Shire Council General Manager Paul Hickey deciding to retire after almost twenty years in the role, and even longer as a staff member, the task of finding a replacement has begun. Cr Damien Loone was also returned as Deputy Mayor after Cr Simon Chate withdrew his nomination. September's meeting opened with a minute's silence for much-loved community member and Lennox Head restaurant owner Blake Rogers, who lost his life last week. Fresh from winning pre-selection as the Nationals candidate for the state seat of Ballina, the 'independent' first-term Ballina councillor Michelle Bailey has put forward a notice of motion asking Council to scrap its fixed 2030 net-zero target in favour of what she describes as a 'flexible sustainability strategy'.
Lennox locals and visitors have reacted with dismay to the announcement that Ross Lane will be completely closed from 19 October to 18 December 2026, while the road is upgraded to better deal with future flooding.
Ballina Shire Council says...
Ross Lane flood-resilience works begin ahead of nine-week closure
Ballina Council will be getting a new general manager
Ballina debates dog parks and net zero
Michelle Bailey targets net zero in Ballina
Ross Lane to be closed for at least two months
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