Agenda and draft minutes

Council would like to show its respect and acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the Land, of Elders past and present on which this meeting takes place.

Council showed its respect and acknowledged the Traditional Custodians of the Land, of all Elders, on which this meeting took place.

RESOLVED [01/25] (Cadwallader/Ramsey) That Council accept the apologies for Cr Steve Krieg, Lismore City Council.

Ordinary Council meeting 4 December 2025

RESOLVED [02/25] (Gordon/Humphrys) That the Minutes of the ordinary meeting held 4 December 2024 be approved as presented.

Nil.

Nil.

RESOLVED [03/25] (Hauge/Mustow) That Council:

1.     Acknowledge that the Widjabul Wia-bal Native Title determination covers 11,700 hectares of Bundjalung Country, including the proposed Dunoon Dam site

2.     Acknowledge the receipt of 85 letters signed by Widjabul Wia-bal and local First Nations people, stating:-

"I am writing to make clear to you and the Rous Councillors that any plan to build a dam near Dunoon is not acceptable under any circumstances to me, to the Widjabul Wia-bal, or the broader Bundjalung Nation. The land that would be drowned contains sites which are sacred to us. For thousands of years we have lived on this land and protected it while it protects us. The land connects us to our Ancestors and provides learning grounds for future generations. There has been too much destruction of our lands and culture through ignorance. Do not further destroy our living culture. Do not construct the Dunoon Dam. Return the land to the Traditional Custodians."

3.       Express profound gratitude to the Widjabul Wia-bal people for their steadfast leadership and their millennia of caring for Country and Waters

4.       Consider these submissions when making decisions about Rous' Future Water Strategy.

Cr Sarah Ndiaye joined the meeting at 10.11am

After speakers for (Cr. Hauge, Cr Ndiaye) and against (Cr. Cadwallader, Cr Gordon) the Notice of Motion, Cr Gordon asked that the MOTION be put.  The Chair ruled to enable an opportunity for the remaining Councillors to speak to the Notice of Motion. 

On being put to the vote the MOTION was LOST.

Nil.

RESOLVED [04/25] (Cadwallader/Gordon) That Council:

1.     Revoke the following:

(a)   Code of Conduct dated 15 June 2022

(b)   Code of Conduct Procedures dated 15 June 2022

2.   Adopt the following as attached:

            (a) Revised Code of Conduct

            (b) Revised Code of Conduct Procedures

RESOLVED [05/25] (Cadwallader/Ramsey) That Council note the results presented in the Quarterly Budget Review Statement as at 31 December 2024 and authorise the variations to the amounts from those previously estimated.

RESOLVED [06/25] (Humphrys/Cadwallader) That Council endorse the recommended approach and transitional fee structure, as outlined in this report, for the transfer of existing Ballina Shire Council retail customers to Council, as part of the purchase of the Marom Creek Water Treatment Plant from Ballina Shire Council.

Nil.

Nil.

RESOLVED [07/25] (Gordon/Hauge) That Council:

1.     Publicly exhibit the revised ‘Payment of fees, expenses and provision of facilities for chairperson and councillors’ policy (Attachment 1) for a period of 28 days.

2.     Should no public submission be received, revoke the policy titled ‘Payment of fees, expenses and provision of facilities for chairperson and councillors’ and adopt the policy at Attachment 1 effective as at the end date of public exhibition.

3.     Should any public submission be received, consider those submissions at its next meeting in conjunction with consideration of revoking the existing policy and adopting a revised ‘Payment of fees, expenses and provision of facilities for chairperson and councillors’ policy.

RESOLVED [08/25] (Cadwallader/Humphrys) That Council:

1.     Revoke the policy titled ‘Cyber Security’ dated 20 October 2021 attached to this report(Attachment 1); and

2.     Adopt the revised policy of the same name attached to this report (Attachment 2).

RESOLVED [09/25] (Gordon/Cadwallader) That the following information reports be received and noted:

1.               Investments – December 2024

2.               Investments – January 2025

3.               Integrated Planning and Reporting Framework: Delivery program | Operational plan progress update 1 July 2024 to 31 December 2024

4.               Tenders awarded by the General Manager under Delegation

5.               Audit Risk and Improvement Committee – meeting updates

6.               Retail Customer Account assistance with debt write-off report

7.               Gallans Road update – February 2025

8.               Reports/Actions pending.

Nil.