The NSW State government has sprung a catastrophic Emergency Services Levy on NSW Councils leaving them struggling to fathom how they are supposed to come up with the money that the state is demanding. 

At yesterdays Tweed Shire Council (TSC) meeting it was revealed that the TSC had received the equivalent of a $540,000 levy, a significant increase on what was expected, drawing a quick response from councillors at the bizarre and unbelievable levy that is putting council in an untenable position according to Tweed Mayor Chris Cherry. 

The Emergency Services Levy is a contribution paid by all councils that funds all the emergency services across that shire. The issue is that the state government has not only significantly increased the levy, they have removed the subsidy that councils were previously receiving.

The $540,000 represents the equivalent of a 0.85 per cent rate increase, explained Tweed Councils general manager, Troy Green. 

That represents one-third of the special rate variation (SRV) that weve asked for.

The Council can not use the SRV to pay for the levy as, if approved, it would have to be spent on the areas identified in the request for the SRV. 

Council unfortunately has received this notification outside our rating cycle. So we have not been able to factor this in, said Cr Cherry. 

The Council had budgeted for a four per cent increase in the emergency services levy, however, the increase by the state government for the next financial year is 24.28 per cent. 

I just found this quite unbelievable, said Councillor Dr Nola Fiurth. 

Were expected as a council to run our budget, and weve done a really careful job. And then to suddenly [you] have a huge amount of money that we [are] expected to find at a time when weve already gone to the community about the difficulties we are under. Im absolutely astonished that something like this could happen.

Her astonishment was reiterated by Councillor James Owen who told the meeting, Its quite bizarre.

To know that a lot of councils are in the process of asking their communities whether theyre willing to accept a special rate variation, to then do this in the middle of it, its just not very great policymaking.

Cost shifting...

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When the water came like a small river into her street in 2022, 79-year-old Margaret Alderton took action. 

She tried to plug the cracks around the doors, and secure her house to ensure that the water didnt come flooding in. 

But the water didnt stop.

I was amazed at the amount and force of the water coming into my home, said Margaret. Ive heard people in their 90s, who have lived here all their lives, say they have never seen a flood like that one.

The water surrounded my house, came in and went through all my furniture and electrics. It finally stopped when it got to my knees. I didnt know what to do.

High tide

The water finally started to recede before the high tide forced it back up and into the house again, a little higher than the previous time. 

As I was sloshing around in the water, a couple of men came to the door on surfboards. I said I couldnt open it, because of the water and to come over to the window. 

They suggested Margaret climb out of the window, and offere...

80 cyclists pedalled into Ballina from Grafton yesterday, just one of seven long days in the saddle for participants in the Sydney to Surfers Robbos Ride. This annual event raises funds for Father Chris Rileys not-for-profit organisation Youth Off The Streets, which is tackling youth homelessness head-on in Sydney.

John Martin is a Sydney teacher who has ridden the event seven times, but is playing a moral support role in the team car this time round, due to a recently broken wrist. He spoke to The Echo about a group of young people associated with Youth Off The Streets who are riding the entire distance this year, despite very limited cycling experience.

Kingscliff Ratepayers and Progress Association (KRPA) has called for action, rather than more talk, on the dangers of approved legacy and zombie development applications (DAs) on floodplains. 

KRPA and the Kingscliff community are deeply concerned over the current situation surrounding the Cobaki legacy development [in Tweed on Cobaki Creek]. This is a perfect example of the damage such approvals and land-banking can have in a community, particularly following the hard lessons learned from the 2022 flood events, Peter Newton, president of KRPA told The Echo. 

KRPA has consistently called for a moratorium on all such developments until such time as flood inquiry and other review findings have been considered and actions determine...

Trees planted just two years ago, as part of the koala corridor being planted throughout the Northern Rivers by Bangalow Koalas with collaboration from IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare), have seen koala poo recorded among trees.

They are in the process of creating a koala corridor across the heavily fragmented landscape in the New South Wales Northern Rivers region. The corridor reconnects existing patches of koala habitat. 

We have planted trees from Byron Bay and surrounds heading towards Tenterfield and up to the Queensland border in Tweed Shire, Linda Sparrow President of Bangalow Koalas, told The Echo. 

Ballina Shire Council (BSC) is warning Lake Ainsworth users that there are blue-green algae scums on Lake Ainsworth that should be avoided. 

Free mammograms with BreastScreen NSW mobile van is at Knox Park in Murwillumbah to eligible women aged between 50 and 74 and theres no referral needed but an appointment required. The van will be at Knox Park from now until 23 May.

Jane Walsh, Director of BreastScreen North Coast says a screening mammogram is one of the most important things women aged 50-74 can do for their health.

A mammogram can pick-up cancers that cannot be seen or felt. In NSW one in seven women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

A mammogram every two years takes just 20 minutes and it could save your lif, said Ms Walsh. 

Detecting breast cancer early increases your chance of survival while reducing the likelihood of invasive treatment, such as mastectomy or chemotherapy. 

Around 90 per cent of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history. This is why breast cancer screening is so important for all eligible women.

Bringing these vital services to Murwillumbah means more local women can participate and get the support they need. Life gets busy and we want women to make their health a priority.

...

All is in readiness for the 140th anniversary show of the Ballina Shire Concert Band at Lennox Head Cultural Centre on Saturday, with a few tickets remaining for anyone who wants to join in celebrating the bands musical passion.

The Echo caught up with bandleader Laurie Green at the bands final rehearsal before the big concert.

Any last words? I dont have any last words, but we are running a last rehearsal. My expectation is that the gig on Saturday will be an absolute blinder!

Mullumbimby Community Preschool will celebrate 30 years in its current location with an event on Sunday, May 7, from 9am to 12pm.

The school is located on the corner of Fern and Station Streets, near the Council chambers.

The schools Amanda McLennan told The Echo local businesses are involved, and a little market store will be set up in the schools car park. They will have face painting, and the local fire truck will visit.

She said, We will have the preschool all set up for children and families to play, and past families and staff are also invited to celebrate with us.

Preschool history

Col and Di Davison bought the preschool together at beginning of 1977, and it was originally located at the RSL Hall on Stuart Street....

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate a boy missing from Goonellabah.

Bryce Hope, aged 12, was last leaving a house on Campbell Crescent, Goonellabah, about 2pm on Monday (1 May 2023).

When he failed to return home or make contact with family members, he was reported missing to officers from Richmond Police District, who commenced inquiries into his whereabouts.

Police and family hold concerns for his welfare due to his age.

Bryce is described as being of Aboriginal/Torres Strait Islander appearance, about 165cm tall, of a thin build, and has short brown hair.

He was last seen wearing a grey coloured school polo shirt, black shorts, and black and white sneakers.

Bryce is known to frequent the Lismore and Goonellabah areas.

Anyone who may have seen Bryce or has information regarding his whereabouts is urged to contact Lismore Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000 or https://nsw.crimestoppers.com.au. Information is treated in strict confidence. The public is reminded not to report information via NSW Police social media pages.

The post Appeal to locate boy missing from Goonellabah appeared first on The Echo.

If a law is never enforced, is it still a law?

This is a key question raised by Byron Councils new regulation requiring surfers at local beaches to wear leg ropes.

In a development that had mainstream media frothing like groms in a cyclone last week, Byron Shire Council decided to erect signs warning surfers that they could be fined unless they are properly tethered to their boards.

Under the rules, surfers could theoretically face a fine of up to $1,100 if they dont rope up.

However, the reality is that such a policy, while sending a message to surfers about the need to be safe in the waves, is virtually impossible to enforce.

Putting aside the fact that the rules wont come into force until signs are erected during the next financial year, there remains no practical way to enforce them, and bring about a successful prosecution if the matter is challenged in court.

Given the comments in the staff report about the effectiveness of the signage and our inability to enforce it, Im wondering if this is a good use of money, given our difficult circumstances, Mayor Michael Lyon said.

Were putting a new burden on the budget next year that is already under pressure, and putting a greater burden on our already very busy compliance officers.

I dont think this should be a priority at all for compliance staff. I want to make sure our compliance priorities stay with animal enforcement, parking and camping enforcement and other matters that are much more effective.

However, the mover of last weeks motion, Independent councillor, Cate Coorey, said that the rules and accompanying community education campaign were about changing Byrons surf culture.

Changing culture

Part of how we make this happen is by changing culture, Cr Coorey said.

Thats why a huge part of this motion is about community education.

Overwhelmingly Im seeing community support for this, including from surfers.

People say, well, surfers are a rebellious community, and they wont support it. But they nearly all do because they nearly all wear leg ropes.

This is about keeping surfers safe from each other.

The new rules come following a number of recent incidents in which surfers suffered serious injuries after...