Council Decides: May Ordinary Meeting 2025

Published on 14 May 2025

Welcome to our May issue of “Council Decides”, where we update you on the decisions and discussions of the Lismore City Council’s monthly Council meeting.

The business papers and attachments for the meeting can be found here

MAYORAL MINUTE

Councillors resolved to:

Convene a committee consisting of all interested Councillors to participate in the recruitment process for a General Manager, and provide delegated authority to the committee to shortlist and interview candidates and details of the preferred candidate be reported to Council for resolution.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEES

Councillors resolved to:

• place on public exhibition for 28 days and any submissions be reported to Council for consideration prior to adoption, the (1) Draft Reimagine Lismore Community Strategic Plan 2025 – 2035, including the Delivery Program 2025 – 2029 and the Operational Plan 2025/2026 (including detailed budget and Revenue Policy), and the Community Engagement Strategy 2025 including the Community Participation Plan, (2) Draft Fees and Charges 2025-2026, (3) Draft Long Term Financial Plan, and (4) all references to affordable housing be replaces by diverse housing, where practical
• support the Planning Proposal to allow certain light industries to RU1, E1 and E2 zones and instruct the General Manager to make the amended changes to the Local Environmental Plan as per the delegation issued to Council by the Gateway Determination
• forward the planning proposal to allow additional permitted uses in South Lismore to support rail trail to the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) seeking a Gateway Determination and proceeds to public exhibition in accordance with any Gateway requirements, and (2) confirm that should any objections be made during the public exhibition stage that the planning proposal be reported back to Council. If no objections are received, the planning proposal be finalised and made, as per the delegation of the Gateway Determination
• adopts the revised Development Control Plan housekeeping amendments
• ·note the progress review and adopts the revised implementation program as per the “Lismore Urban Stormwater Management Plan (2025 Status review and update)’ as attached to this report, (2) the General Manager be delegated authority to vary the priority order of projects as per the implementation program to integrate with other Council projects or take advantage of grant or partnership opportunities as outlined in the Urban Stormwater Management Plan and, (3) the General Manager be delegated authority to add projects where necessary to address priority repairs/upgrades where the condition of stormwater infrastructure presents an unacceptable risk to public safety and or property
• adopts the March 2025 Quarterly Review Statement and approve the recommended variations, and (2) note the forecast employee benefits and on costs budget has been restated for additional water, sewer and flood-related expenses. The General Fund forecast employee benefit and costs have only been partly adjusted to manage impact on internally restricted reserves. Management plan to remain within approved total expenses budget of $151million for FY2024-2025. Management will report final total salary cost numbers as party of year-end processes.
• commit $50,000 (excluding GST) per annum from the Lismore Special Business Rate to Business Lismore to support the delivery of business advocacy, education and support to businesses within the ratable area including Lismore CBD, South Lismore, North Lismore and Goonellabah, and enter into a Service Level Agreement with Business Lismore and allocate the 2025/2026 Lismore Special Business Rate contribution of $50,000 (excluding GST) to Business Lismore
• appoint the following community members to the below advisory groups:

1. Aboriginal – Bradley Walker, Cindy Roberts, Tim Roberts
2. Sister City – Micheal Lynch, Cindy Roberts, Taz McLaren, Bradley Walker, Matthew Healy, Elizabeth Olivieri, Daniel Gubby, Brandon Yee
3. Disability Inclusion – Micheal Lynch, Brad Lancaster, Alicia Knight, Diana Grobler, Bridget Barker, Jenny London, John Zambelli, Elissa Caldwell
4. Koala – Lucy Kinsley, Elissa Caldwell, Shae Salmon, Mark Bailey
5. Lismore Villages – Gwen Trimble, Mark Pike (Nimbin), Adrienne Morgan (Modanville/Dunoon), Lucy Kinsley (Rural South), Denise Whitney (Rural North West)
6. Promote and accept Expressions of Interest for vacant positions and be reported back to Council for further decision

• Receive and note the April Investments Report
• write to the NSW Reconstruction Authority requesting it investigate a partnership for the sale of salvaged materials from buyback properties condemned for demolition to the community
• change six (6) parking spaces in Bounty Street, Lismore from 10-hour to 2-hour zones
• ·note the findings of the Northern Rivers Living Lab research into timber recovery and reuse, particularly the practical experience of deconstructing two properties in North Lismore, (2) acknowledge the key three recommendations to support a robust circular timber and reuse system: (a) development of deconstruction guidelines that align with a circular economy principles, (b) establishment of a circular recovery facility to store, process and support the reuse of salvaged materials, (c) development of a value assessment framework to accurately compare the benefits of deconstruction and material recovery and material recovery versus traditional demolition

CONFIDENTIAL SESSION

Councillors resolved to exclude the press and public to consider confidential matters. After the session, Councillors returned to announce they resolved to:

• delegate authority to the General Manager to enter negotiations for the lease of land at 97 Caniaba Street, South Lismore and report back to Council before execution.

All other items in the business paper were deferred to the June Ordinary Meeting.