By DANE LILLINGSTONE
A heated council meeting has revealed the Southern Downs will be given an election shake-up next year along with more funding cuts and a further display of frustration at fees and rate rises.
The council meeting heard that elections are getting closer, funding cuts will never cease and council fees will always rise.
Mayor Peter Blundell was called upon more than once in the meeting in front of a packed public gallery to keep things from getting unhinged between councillors but progress was made.
The meeting was told that the 2016 Southern Downs Regional Council will be a full postal ballot after an application from Mayor Peter Blundell was accepted by Deputy Premier Jackie Trad.
The Southern Downs will also see the introduction of preferential voting for mayoral candidates.
The decision raises the possibility of candidates winning without a majority vote.
Councillors did not agree with preferential voting with a few councillors raising concerns about how the decision could affect voting.
Cr Vic Pennisi said: “I don’t believe preferential voting is the way to go here.”
Arts funding has been cut by more than $10,000.
Arts Queensland announced in July this year that it would be cutting the Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) by $5833 and the council decided to also reduce its contribution by the same amount.
Director of Business and Community Services David Tuxford said that Arts Queensland was still “paying us more than $12,000 about they need to pay us”.
The finance report for the first month under the 2015-16 SDRC budget has seen a $46.9 million operating surplus which is 11.5 per cent below the estimated position for the financial year to date.
It was also revealed that 34.4 per cent of total rates have been collected at this stage.
A new motel development adjoining the Palace Hotel was rejected for further consultation after concerns were raised about its design fitting in with current architecture and it relying on the use of a driveway through council property.
Seniors made up a large portion of the public gallery and were pleased to hear that the council’s lease policy will be reviewed at the September meeting after reports of some lease fees jumping from $200 to $700.
A report will be presented at the next council meeting on the process of the creation of reserves.
There was also further discussion of a possible investigation into the after effects of amalgamation.
Rural property owners got a win with properties in small towns currently zoned rural now exempt from Vacant Water Access Charges backdated from 1 July 2015.
The next General Council Meeting will be held in Stanthorpe on 23 September.
