SCENE THE TWEED N E Volume 2 #40 E Thursday, June 17, 2010 R Advertising and news enquiries: G G G Phone: (02) 6672 2280
[email protected] [email protected] Page 14 www.tweedecho.com.au LOCAL & INDEPENDENT Council threatens From freeze over cap wagging tails to Ken Sapwell ers, leading to rate rises of more than 50 per cent. Tweed Shire Council is threatening ‘This may seem to be a windfall telling tales to impose a freeze on developments for the big developers of the massive worth billions of dollars in a surprise urban release areas in the shire, but rebellion against a state government the government’s actions are likely to directive to cap developer contribu- have the opposite effect,’ he said. tions at $20,000. ‘It is unlikely that any council, in- In a rare act of defiance, the council cluding the Tweed, would raise their will tell the NSW government it’s not annual rates to fund the infrastruc- prepared to raise rates to cover the ture as the premier has suggested. shortfall in contributions to pay for ‘In the absence of a rate rise to meet roads and other infrastructure to ser- the funding gap, the infrastructure vice mega projects now on the draw- would not be provided and these ing board. projects will flounder with land de- They include Bob Ell’s Cobaki velopers going out of business.’ Lakes and Kings Forest developments Cr Polglase said the government and other multi-residential projects had imposed the cap without any at Terranora and Bilambil which are consultation in a bid to create more currently being assessed by the Plan- affordable houses, but the move was ning Department.