Was it a motion, a resolution, perhaps an agenda of mayors … some have even suggested a press gang?
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Whatever … the mayors of Bellingen and Kempsey (Dominic King and Liz Cambell) along with their general managers ( Liz Jeremy and Craig Swift-McNair) were resolute in urging Nambucca Shire Council to join them in the new Mid North Coast Joint Organisation.
Both mayors, who are also the Chair and the Deputy Chair of the MNCJO spoke to the Nambucca Shire councillors at Thursday’s meeting making key points about the strength of political advocacy that comes with a broader group of councils being in the Joint Organisation as well as the important focus the JO can give to regional priorities.
“Councils along the Mid North Coast have worked collectively for 15-20 years in MIDROC (the now semi-defunct Regional Organisation of Councils), and the existing members of the MNCJO would like to see that continue via the newly formed Joint Organisation, “ Cr Campbell said.
“Nambucca Shire Council, Coffs Harbour City Council and Clarence Valley Council have yet to resolve to join the MNCJO, yet we share a commonality of interest with all three.
“We already have funding for a range of projects that all six councils could benefit from … and investigations into others are continuing. Great things can happen if all councils along the mid north coast work with a common purpose to these goals.”
Cr King said (with a smile) his own reasons were selfish.
I want the best for our residents and I believe the JO will be much stronger if you are with us and we become one powerful block
- Bellingen Mayor Dominic King
“Funding arrangements for the JOs are opening up and as a united front we can really make difference to the cost shifting and other funding issues we all face.”
They disabused Cr David Jones’ fears that the JO “was a slippery slope to amalgamation”, Cr Campbell saying none of the other councils would have come to the table had that been the state government’s agenda.
Cr King said in his view a strong JO would prevent amalgamation because of the economies of scale it offered.
Questions were raised about funding, especially with two competitive regional centres (Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour) in the one JO.
“This will require goodwill. Hopefully in time there are projects that will generate their own income. We’ve spoken to the state government, we are doing a lot of regulatory work for them – they would be crazy not to make JOs sustainable ... I believe they will continue to fund it,” Cr King said.
Cr Janine Reed then moved the motion that stopped the meeting:
“That although it is preferable for the Nambucca Shire to be part of a Joint Organisation which includes the Coffs Harbour Local Government area, we note the communication that at this stage there is to be no further Joint Organisations and consequently, in the best interest of the future of our community the Nambucca Shire Council agree to be part of the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation.”
Stunned silence followed.
Speaking to her motion, Cr Reed said she saw the benefits of working regionally and there was strength in numbers.
I think Nambucca Shire Council needs to work with all the players and we need to be in the tent and at that table
- Cr Janine Reed
Cr Jones opposed the motion saying he did not want to see the council’s autonomy compromised to suit “some shape decided by the state government”.
Cr Ainsworth said he thought it would be better to wait and see what unfolded after the March NSW government elections.
Cr Hoban said the ROC had worked perfectly well and achieved a lot and she didn’t understand why JOs were even necessary.
Cr Reed’s motion was lost, hers being the only hand raised in support of it.
A motion to note the Joint Organisation’s report was passed.
After the meeting Mayor Liz Campbell said the invitation to Nambucca Shire Council was an open one that remained.
“As time goes by and we make achievements, people will start to see the value and maybe minds will change,” Cr Campbell said.