Mayor Steve Krieg has called an extraordinary Lismore City Council meeting tomorrow (Thursday) at 12:30 to deal with the four rescission motions from the last ordinary meeting on Tuesday, February 11.

According to Local Government NSW, "If the Mayor receives a request in writing signed by at least 2 Councillors, the Mayor must call an extraordinary meeting of the council to be held as soon as practicable but in any event within 14 days after receipt of the request."

Mayor Krieg told the Lismore App, "Some councillors chose to put in four rescission motions, and it is within their rights. It is also within other councillors' rights to call an extraordinary meeting to deal with those rescission motions."

"Our meetings go long enough without adding four additional items to the agenda."

Mayor Krieg is referring to the eight-hour-long council meeting on Tuesday, February 11. If the additional four rescission motions were added to an already full agenda, it may well be a repeated length when council next meets for an ordinary meeting on Tuesday, March 11.

The four rescission motions took over three hours to reach a decision, including public access, at the last ordinary meeting.

The rescission motions are:

11.1 Property Strategy

Councillors Adam Guise, Jasmine Knight-Smith and Virginia Waters are asking councillors to rescind its decision on developing a Property Strategy, which included the Richmond River Historical Society.

It was resolved that:

1. the General Manager be requested to develop a Property Strategy, and an implementation model to implement the findings of the Property Strategy.
2. the Strategy to include options for Council office presence in the CBD
3. the Property Strategy and implementation model be brought back to Council
4. priority be given to find a suitable location for the Richmond River Historical Society.

All councillors voted for the foreshadowed motion at the time, except for councillor Adam Guise.

11.2 Clunes Subdivision

Councillors Adam Guise, Jasmine Knight-Smith and Virginia Waters are asking councillors to rescind its decision to refuse a DA to create 2 lots at 7 Booyong Road, Clunes.

It was resolved that pursuant to section 4.16 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A), development application No. 5.2023.312.1, for the subdivision of one lot to create 2 lots and associated driveway, carport, vegetation management works and on-site effluent disposal systems at 7 Booyong Road Clunes, be refused for the following reasons:

1. the proposed development does not provide for the orderly development of the site or good design and amenity of the built environment due to undersized lots and unacceptable sewage management arrangements (Section 1.3 of the EP&A Act 1979).

2. the proposed development is inconsistent with the following clauses of Lismore Local Environmental Plan 2012 (Section 4.15(1)(a)(i) of the EP&A Act 1979):

a. Clause 2.3 – Zone objectives

b. Clause 4.1 – Minimum subdivision lot size

c. Clause 4.6 – Exceptions to development standards

d. Clause 6.4 – Drinking water catchments

e. Clause 6.9 – Essential services

3. the proposed development is inconsistent with the following requirements of the Lismore Development Control Plan, Part A, Chapter 1 – Residential Development (Section 4.15(1)(a)(iii) EP&A Act 1979):

a. Element 4.10 – On-Site Sewage and Waste Water Management.

4. the proposed development is inconsistent with the following requirements of the Part A, Chapter 6 – Village Subdivision of the Lismore Development Control Plan (Section 4.15(1)(a)(iii) EP&A Act):

a) Element 4.1 – Lot Size

b) Element 4.9 – Sewer (non-reticulated areas)

5. the site is not suitable for the proposed development (Section 4.15(c) of the EP&A Act 1979)

6. the proposed development is not in the public interest (Section 4.15(e) of the EP&A Act 1979)

The last vote was 7/4 to refuse the DA.

11.3 Code of Meeting Practice Review

It was resolved that Council adopt the Code of Meeting Practice as attached to the report, with the inclusion that Public Access be livestreamed.

This motion included:

• Moving Public Access from the start of council meetings at 10am to prior to council meetings at 9am. Public Access will be streamed live and recorded.
• Change the number of speakers to two for and two against (from four for and four against).
• There is a maximum of ten (10) speakers. This is necessary because of the one-hour time limit on public access. It allows for change over time of speakers, questions and responses to questions.
• Each speaker will be allowed three (3) minutes (reduced from four)
• Limit responses to councillor questions to one (1) minute (currently unlimited)
• A councillor may submit no more than three (3) notices of motions to be considered at each Ordinary council meeting.
• A councillor may submit no more than three (3) questions with notice for response at each Ordinary council meeting.
• The length of a council meeting will be no longer than 5 hours after it begins. It can be extended by 30 minutes by resolution.

The last vote was 7/4

11.4 Definition of Nuclear-Free Peace Zone Policy

Councillors Adam Guise, Jasmine Knight-Smith and Virginia Waters are asking councillors to rescind its decision to repeal policy number 3.1.1 the Nuclear-Free Peace Zone Policy

The last vote was 6/4, with Councillor Jeri Hall out of the chamber.

It remains to be seen if the same issues will be rehashed as they were two weeks ago or if a fresh approach with new information will be taken. Whatever the content, it is highly unlikely that any of the rescission motions will be successful.