Newly elected Greens councillor Ben Moroney has helped secure the immediate future of several volunteer community groups which were hard hit by higher hall hire fees.
Cr Moroney last night urged Campbelltown Council to subsidise the cost of hiring halls for some of the small volunteer groups until a long term solution was found.
He said groups like the Half Pints playgroup, which meet at the Hurley Park hall, were in danger of folding because they just could no longer afford the council fees.
“Ratepayers expect that we will look after community groups like that,’’ Cr Moroney told the meeting.
“This is a community activity where local families get together and meet others – it’s a good thing.
“And if we can find a way to help them continue to operate it’s a win win for everybody,’’ Cr Moroney said.
For the next 12 months volunteer groups like Half Pints will receive a subsidy from council which will cover the difference between the fees they used to pay and the new rates.
Council will set aside $15,000 for the subsidies but will also review the use of community facilities by community groups that “balances financial and social outcomes’’.
• In its first meeting since the September 10 elections, last night Campbelltown Council also approved proposed changes to the way it operates, including having two meetings a month, instead of one.
Local residents will be able to address council at both meetings.
A big majority of councillors voted in favour of the changes lasts night, with only Cr Fred Borg and his fellow Totally Locally Committed member, Cr Warren Morrison, opposing them.
Cr Borg was mainly opposed to the change in the starting time of meetings from 7pm to 6.30, arguing that residents who worked in the city and wanted to attend would not make it on time.
But the large majority view among councillors, both Labor and Liberal and some of the independents, was that the changes were to the good and would make council decision making a lot more efficient.
Cr Meg Oates pointed out that the biggest complaint against the council in the previous term was that it was too slow in making decisions.
[social_quote duplicate=”no” align=”default”]“We need to get the business done a lot quicker and these changes will help,’’ the veteran councillor said.[/social_quote]
Mayor George Brticevic commended his Liberal counterpart, Cr George Greiss, who had suggested the changes about six weeks ago.
• The meeting opened with the presentation of the financial position of council over the past 12 months.
Councillors were told that the annual maintenance bill was now around $20 million, while the budget had come in with a $40,000 surplus.
• Two councillors, Darcy Lound and George Greiss, were elected Campbelltown’s representatives on the Sydney Metro West Region Joint Regional Planning Panel.
Representatives were elected to a number of other committees, including MACROC and the South West Sydney Academy of Sport.
• The next council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25, from 6.30pm.
