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.

At its last meeting, Ballina Shire Council voted for one of the three Rs of local government – roads, rates and rubbish – to be entirely taken over by a private company, with council's existing rubbish collection vehicles to be sold off as part of the deal, for $740,000.

Ballina Shire Council opened yesterday's meeting with a proposal from Cr Kiri Dicker that welcome packs be offered to local international refugee families. These would include a three month family pool pass, a Richmond Tweed library card, and temporary memberships to Ballina Indoor Sports Centre and Northern Rivers Community Gallery.

At its last meeting, Ballina Shire Council adopted the Biodiversity Strategy which has been on exhibition recently, but there were questions about whether it was a purely aspirational document, or would mean anything on the ground without adequate funding.

Yesterday Ballina Shire Council decided not to apply a Conservation Zone to the contentious flood-prone land adjoining Burns Point Ferry Road, in West Ballina, which GemLife is seeking to develop for housing.

Ballina's last council meeting was short and sweet, with no motions from councillors for the first time in memory. There were some important decisions made though.

Despite the objections of a large number of neighbours, including Ballina Toyota, Ballina Shire Council has given the green light to a new 24 hour Mobil service station on 485 River Street, West Ballina.

Ballina Shire Council's meeting for August was an epic one, full of twists, turns and roundabouts.

The metaphors were flying as Ballina Shire councillors debated the pros and cons of their 'jewel in the crown', the Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, at their last meeting, with a multi-part motion designed to address airport impacts presented by Cr Kiri Dicker.