Council go back on decision

A MAJORITY of Tweed Shire Councillors have been accused of planning a back-flip on a decision last month to call for an independent review of plans for the new Kings Forest and Cobaki Lakes townships.

Greens Party councillor Katie Milne says a rescission motion lodged at the end of the last council meeting and due to be debated on Tuesday could scuttle her attempts for greater scrutiny of the huge developments.

Last month the councillors voted four to three in favour of asking the State Government for a review which looked at the sustainability of the projects, plus social and environmental impacts including the impact on water and sewerage infrastructure.

The request would have accompanied a submission to the government on council concerns about the new townships, but action in sending it off was frozen by the rescission motion.

“I was really excited the councillors did want to see some improved planning outcomes for these developments,” said Cr Milne.

“But it seems all that is on the line now.”

Cr Milne said she had pushed for the extra action because the submission did not object to issues including new housing-lot sizes smaller than previously allowed on the Tweed.

Cr Dot Holdom, one of the councillors pushing for the rescission motion, has defended the move, saying for the sake of “credibility and clarity” the submission to the government “must concentrate on supporting the Tweed’s development codes” rather than include the raft of other measures put up by Cr Milne.