Yesterday Lismore City Councillors Eddie Lloyd, Nancy Casson and Gianpiero Battista donated $160 each to the Winsome & Lismore Soup Kitchen in South Lismore.

The $160 amount represented 10% of their monthly Councillor’s allowance. The councillors are hoping the contribution will help the staff at the Soup Kitchen provide much needed meals every day.

The donation was inspired by NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern who took a 20% pay cut with other Ministers for six months during the COVID pandemic. Mrs Ardern saying "If there was ever a time to close the gap between groups of people across New Zealand in different positions, it is now". Cnr's Lloyd, Casson and Battista then promised to follow that lead and donate 10% of their Councillor’s fee back to the community.

‘We would have liked to provide this money to our most needed ratepayers’ says Councillor Battista and ‘help alleviate their rate burden but we could not have a Notice of Motion put to a meeting to do that’.

‘We felt that we Councillors needed to decide how and where the money was going to be distribute and we didn’t think the account established by the GM had enough oversight or adhere to any policy’.

The councillors decided then to look at those in our community most in need and selected their first charity being the Soup Kitchen.

The Soup Kitchen provides between 50 to 70 meals and has a budget of $150 per day relying heavily on the amazing job of volunteers and donors across the city.

‘As promised and as per intention of the Notice of Motion we will continue to donate 10% of our fees each month for the next 12 months to a local charity’ says Councillor Casson and ‘we hope we can inspire other colleagues and Lismore Council’s staff to do the same’.