Councillors reject backing for food festival

DESPITE the application meeting criteria for sponsorship, councillors voted against funding Bowlo Sports and Leisure Yamba's festival.

Arthur Lysaught. Picture: Bill North

DESPITE meeting the requirements of Clarence Valley Council's Special Event Sponsorship program, Bowlo Sports and Leisure Yamba's application for funding for their Yamba Eat to the Beat festival was denied after a motion to not provide sponsorship was passed.

At Tuesday's ordinary council meeting, CR Arthur Lysaught spoke against the proposal, arguing the sponsorship program should be used to help community groups, rather than registered clubs.

"I think any funds that are expended by council should be expended on community based promotions rather than for profit promotions," he said.

"Obviously the community based promotions are run for profit as well but their profits are channelled back into various community supports, whereas a registered club looking after the benefits of their members by providing them with improved facilities.

"I just see this as not fitting in line with what I see as the role of council.

"These sorts of sponsorships should be allocated to full on community based organisations like Rotary and Lions."

Cr Debra Novak, who seconded the motion, said the application from Bowlo Sports and Leisure was "cheeky".

"I'm beginning to wonder if council and businesses out there think that we're made of money as we always seem to be happy to give away money we don't have to people who do have the capacity to pay for their own events," she said.

"Yamba Bowlo bar sales for 2017 stood at $2 million and their gaming revenue $4 million, total trading revenue is $6.5 million...I think it's even a little cheeky that they're asking money from us."

Cr Karen Toms spoke against Cr Lysaught's motion, arguing that if the event met council's criteria for their Special Events Sponsorship, it should be supported.

"I find it extremely interesting that we now have a policy and a program and now we're going to make decisions that are against events that meets that criteria," she said.

"We need to encourage any organisation that wants to put on events, not only for our locals but for visitors who might be here at the same time. I believe as a council our Special Events Sponsorship program is exactly that, to assist organisations to actually put them on."

The councillors voted 8-2 for Cr Lysaughts motion.

Bowlo Sport and Leisure confirmed the Eat to the Beat festival would go ahead on June 10.

Originally published as Councillors reject backing for food festival