‘Challenging’ time for council says Tablelands council Mayor Rod Marti as annual report released

Controversial decisions regarding two caravan parks have created “challenges” for the Tablelands Regional Council however a key appointment is set to create more stability, the mayor says.

BUILDING approvals worth $92.8m were approved by Tablelands Regional Council in 2020-21, with $67.4m being residential, the council’s annual report showed.

The council delivered $21.53m in capital projects and secured project grant funding of $9.56m.

Mayor Rod Marti said in the report the permanent appointment of chief executive Gary Rinehart would contribute to stability and consistency.

The report showed there were 37 staff departures from community and corporate services and 32 from infrastructure and planning.

“Council has been forthright in dealings with community,” he said.

“There are many examples, but our decision on caravan parks has been high profile and challenging for some.

“Our intent has been to bring more focus on council’s core responsibilities around infrastructure and critical services, and, for the parks, unshackle them from council’s regulatory environment to allow both a more commercial footing and a better return for ratepayers,” Cr Marti said.

A new report by an independent consultancy exposed a schism between councillors and TRC staff.

Council’s decision to put both Malanda Falls Caravan Park and Lakeside Caravan Park at Yungaburra out to commercial tender caused controversy.

The popular caretakers at Malanda Falls now have the lease, but council has been forced to put Caretakers Australia in at Yungaburra.

Permanent residents at Lakeside have protested at being given marching orders by council, saying a rental affordability and availability crisis across the Far North has left them with nowhere to go.

Council had $71.11m in revenue with $44.4m of that coming from rates, levies and charges – 63 per cent of total income.

It spent $21.5m renewing, upgrading and building new assets with 54 per cent of that spent on roads and stormwater.

Cr Marti was renumerated $142,989 and deputy mayor Kevin Cardew received $91,408 while the five other councillors received $75,962 each.

Originally published as ‘Challenging’ time for council says Tablelands council Mayor Rod Marti as annual report released