Councillors approved the 2020/21 draft budget for public exhibition at last nights council meeting but it was a close vote 6 for and 5 against.

All councillors ,whether they voted for or against the draft budget, said that this was a "tough budget" for the community to swallow and it would be unpopular.

Unpopular because a number of projects that councillors had committed to in their four year term have had to be shelved again as council tries to get their financial situation under control then build some reserves for the future. It was acknowledge that this will take a few years.

Projects like the beautifying the Lismore Lake area or upgrading footpaths in the CBD will now be deferred and included in the next Community Strategic Planning document for public submissions.

The cause of this "Back to basics with no lollies for the community" budget as Councillor Neil Marks called it, was due to an initial cashflow deficit of $2.3 million. After the numbers were re-crunched using the zero based modelling process that deficit has been cut to $282,000.

This meant the removal of non-essential community projects.

Of the $2.3 million deficit, $1 to 1.5 million was estimated to be caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Those Councillors against the draft budget mentioned lack of time to read and understand the document fully, lack of detail, lack of involvement in the budget process and the continued operations of loss making facilities like GSAC, the Quarry and the Airport.

Councillor Guise said "I have no confidence in this budget......the airport will lose $750,000 and the Quarry 450,000.....how can we continue to operate these loss making assets".

While Councillor Lloyd said "there has not been accurate reporting systems on our financial position" and Councillor Bautista said "we need to stop looking back and stop wasting money".

Those Councillors who voted for the draft budget acknowledged that they too are "unhappy" with some projects being taken off the table but the measure suggested by council staff were necessary to return this council back to a sound financial position, something that can built on for the future.

Councillor Bird saying "it will be a bumpy and difficult road to get there" and Councillor Ekins saying that "it is just not us but other councils too (that are in this financial position)".

Councillor Cook said "no one is happy with this budget.....it is up to us to shoulder these tough decisions.......it will cause a lot of pain".

What was acknowledged is that Lismore has suffered through a number of extraordinary circumstances in the last few years with the flood, the drought, the tip fire and now COVID-19.

Can we liken it to the Paul Keating comment in 1990 when he said "this is the recession we had to have". Is this the budget that LCC need to have?

Now the draft budget for 2020/21 has been approved for public exhibition, it is up to you to take the time to read it, understand it and make comments.

The draft budget will be live on the Your Say Lismore website ( https://yoursay.lismore.nsw.gov.au/) from next Wednesday May 13.