New Quarry Gardens committee to feature five councillors

A COMMITTEE that will help guide the creation of the long-awaited Quarry Gardens project will feature up to five councillors.

The Bridge St quarry.

A COMMITTEE that will help guide the creation of the long-awaited Quarry Gardens project will feature up to five councillors, making up potentially a third of the new advisory body.

The council voted yesterday at the ordinary meeting to approve the new 15-person Bridge Street Quarry Development Advisory Committee, which would feature Cr Kerry Shine as the chair along with up to four other councillors representing the main groups within the TRC.

The original recommendation at last week's committee meeting was for a chair and two councillors, but this was amended at the expense of council officers.

But Mayor Paul Antonio yesterday questioned the need for that many councillors.

"For your consideration, I just wonder if you think that is appropriate to have four or five councillors on that committee," he said.

"I'm very happy that we have some, but don't forget it comes back to this chamber for the final consideration, and we're looking for an independent body that will in fact advise us."

Cr Megan O'Hara Sullivan also said she was worried the number of councillors would look like the committee was "stacked".

But Cr Carol Taylor said each portfolio should be represented on the committee for a project significant to the community.

As a compromise, Deputy Mayor Geoff McDonald proposed an amendment to include the words "as required from time to time", meaning not all councillors would always be present.

The rest of the committee would be filled with key stakeholders and industry leaders.