Independent Ballina Shire Councillor Jeff Johnson has announced his departure from local government, less than three weeks out from elections.

Late in its last general meeting, there was a motion from Ballina Crs Kiri Dicker and Phil Meehan that Cr Rod Bruem should apologise to General Manager Paul Hickey, Cr Jeff Johnson, Cr Johnson’s family, council employees and staff at Premium Solar for any damage caused by recent comments made by Cr Bruem relating to the $70,000 contract awarded to Premium Solar at Ballina Memorial Swimming Pool.

A proposal to assess the viability of a third village on the Alstonville Plateau was discussed at Ballina Shire Council's last meeting.

Yesterday the NSW Planning Panel unanimously rejected Gemlife’s proposal for a major 'seniors living' development on a flood prone site on Burns Point Ferry Road, West Ballina.

The Mayor of Ballina, Sharon Cadwallader, has responded to her fellow councillor Jeff Johnson's comments in The Echo this morning, using some equally piquant language.

Ballina Council's October meeting was a bruising affair, with Mayor Sharon Cadwallader using her casting vote to force her way in two contentious decisions which split councillors evenly.

Many people assume that in a civilised country like Australia, electoral boundaries are all taken care of by impartial officials, but in Ballina, it turns out councillors have some say in deciding their own ward boundaries within the shire.

Yesterday's Ballina Shire Council meeting saw accusations and insults hurled across the chamber as councillors split down the middle on the contentious issue of conservation zones.

Ballina Shire Council staff are to make sure all open spaces and parks in the shire have access to drinking water, starting with an audit of current availability.

Accusations of gerrymandering continue in Ballina Shire owing to divisions created over a recent controversial vote to change ward boundaries.