Council backs Imagine Lismore plan, decides to borrow $4.5m

LISMORE Council will borrow $4.5 million in the next financial year after approving their budget for the 2013/14 financial year.

Lismore councillors have voted to pump more than $30 million, or a quarter of the council's 2013/14 budget into improving its roads network. Picture: DOUG EATON

LISMORE Council will borrow $4.5 million in the next financial year after approving their budget for the 2013/14 financial year at Tuesday night's council meeting.

The budget was passed along with the Imagine Lismore strategic plans for the next one, four and ten year periods.

A motion for some last minute budget amendments was put forward by Cr Simon Clough that will see a cut of $80,000 to Council's fleet and workshop budget; a reduction in the contractor budget of $100,000; a 15% reduction in the cultural grant to NORPA ($6000) and a cut of $25,000 to the CBD/Riverbank Masterplan.

On the expenditure side of the equation Cr Clough wanted to see more money for footpaths ($100,000); more money for the Quad project at the library/conservatorium site where it is hoped the art gallery will go ($73,500); plus $25,000 for the revegetation of the riverbank from the Browns Creek carpark to the Laurie Allen Centre and the reinstatement of the Catchment Administration Fund ($12,500).

Cr Clough's amendments were supported 6/5 (Crs Bennett, Scheibel, Marks, Battista and Meineke against).

Cr Vanessa Ekins called it "historic" that council was actually going to build some footpaths.

Mayor Jenny Dowell commented that "in response to community wishes, $30.6 million or 25% of our budget will be spent on roads."

Cr Greg Bennett put up his own wish list of budget amendments including $140,000 of stormwater in South Lismore; $120,000 for mowing of parks and gardens; $200,000 for new roads; $50,000 for cycleways and $41,400 for curb and gutter construction. He had identified savings to offset these items, predominantly by cutting environmental protection measures and cultural grants, but his amendments were voted down.

The adopted budget will give council an operating deficit of $40,500 for the year in a budget of $123.1 million.