Yesterday's ordinary July Lismore City Council meeting was short by its own standards, and only had one verbal stoush between Councillors Harper Dalton-Earls and Big Rob, with Rob leaving the chambers for a few minutes.

Mayor Steve Krieg read out condolence motions for two prominent Lismore people who passed away recently, former Mayor Ros Irwin and sporting identity Barry Davidson.

The difference of opinion on Council's policy number 5.17.10, the Climate Resilience and Adaptation Policy, came to the fore once again when Cr Adam Guise put forward a rescission motion to restore the policy after it was revoked at the June ordinary meeting.

With fellow Green Councillor (Cr) Virginia Waters on leave, Cr Guise talked about the community's support for climate action and the need for such a policy to remain in place.

"I recognise that it is outdated, but we shouldn't be tearing it up and doing away with the principles and actions without something to replace it," he said.

"While we continue to adopt investment policies that continue to invest in carbon fossil fuel exposed industries, we need to actually be practicing what we preach, and moving to a net zero environment to reducing our carbon emission, putting solar on our roofs, reducing the high drain energies and devices, motors, air conditioners that we use in our organisation, moving our fleet to electric vehicles and low emission vehicles where possible, and really setting the bar for reaching our net zero targets that our country has committed to."

In response, Mayor Steve Krieg spoke about the fact that council plants 15,500 plus trees each year for nature solutions, koala food trees and riverbank retention, and the number of policies that have been around for decades but haven't been implemented.

"At last count, there was something like 54 policies sitting on the floor of the general manager's office that either need review or getting rid of, and this is one of them," he said.

"We've seen things like a net-zero target set by this chamber decades ago, to reach net-zero by 2023. I think the statistic I heard was that we got to 5% of that. We've got to weigh up ideology versus reality in some cases."

Cr Knight-Smith echoed Adam Guise's thoughts on the removal of 5.17.10.

"I thought it was a tragedy when it was removed, and it remains so. And we do need to develop a new one if we're going to remove what was already in place."

"I commend council for continuing to improve our energy efficiency. I think we have some electric vehicles, and the planting of so many trees, that's really great. But, for now, and for generations to come in this community, we need to look to the future, and we need to get with the times, and the times are taking action on climate change."

Cr Jensen wanted to inform Cr Knight-Smith that council staff are looking at putting a strategy together this month or very soon.

"So, it hasn't disappeared from thinking, it's just not here at the current time. It is coming shortly."

This was clarified by Acting GM Eber Butron, who told councillors, "The Climate Plan is still in progress as we speak, and will probably be integrated as part of the local strategic planning statement provisions, but will probably end up as a separate policy as well."

Cr Gordon pointed out that the outdated Climate and Resilience Plan were like the forecasts of "climate poster boy Tim Flannery".

"Back in the day, so 2007, and the things he said and the relevance that it has today. You might remember Tim said that in 10 years, there will be no arctic ice. How's that working out Tim? You might also remember Tim said, 2004 I think he said it, we've got a decade before we can avert a 25 metre rise in sea levels. 25 metres, Mr Mayor, it hasn't gone up 25 mill, it has gone up 2.5 mill."

"We've heard today from Cr Guise about how we'd like to see everything changed. Everything goes smaller, everything more energy efficient and stuff. Yes, we can get better at doing things, but we are chucking the baby out with the bath water with a policy that restricts best practice."

It appears that there is a clear division among our councillors regarding climate change and the path forward.

The rescission motion was lost 6/3, with Cr Waters on leave and Cr Bing out of the room.

The final Oakes Oval grandstand will be named after local Socceroo legend Craig Foster.

"In my communication with Mr Foster," Mayor Krieg said, "he is incredibly honoured. Oakes Oval is our premier sporting facility in town, and we've got the Adam Gilchrist pavilion, the Lyn Larsen grandstand, and to finish it off, the third of our most famous ex-sporting exports played international football for the Socceroos some 29-odd times. His parents still live in Lismore and are still very active members of our community."

An amendment was put forward by Cr Dalton-Earls to add boxer Frank Roberts to the list of people recognised in some way, given it is NAIDOC week, but this was defeated. Although it was resolved that Acting General Manager Eber Butron will talk to the family of Frank Roberts to identify the right facility to honour his name in Lismore.

The Lismore Model Flying Club will purchase flood-prone land at 313 Wyrallah Road, Monaltrie from Lismore City Council for $1 to continue their good work, and the new East Lismore Preschool was granted an easement for footpath access over council-owned land at Wade Park for safety reasons.

And finally, restaurant and cafe owners will be happy this morning because they will not pay any Outdoor Dining Fees for the next twelve months as Lismore businesses recover from a tough three years. The Outdoor Dining Policy will come back to council for further discussion for the 2026/27 financial year.

The next Lismore City Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 12 at 10am.

Lismore City Council will be announcing its new General Manager later today.