The item was the Environmental Levy and the heading was Macksville Town Centre (Street Tree Planting and other actions).
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So when Cr Anne Smyth noticed the paragraph that said a successful grant application would see some of the budget go towards the night-lighting of the Macksville Bridge, she called it out.
“I have no problem with the idea of lighting up the bridge but is this coming out of the Environmental Levy budget?” Cr Smyth asked.
“I would not agree to see money from this levy spent on lighting from carbon-generated sources. Unless the plan is for solar, I don’t think this falls under the criteria of this environmental budget.”
Assistant General Manager Engineering Services Paul Gallagher said he would check but he understood that council funds would be used, not the environmental levy.
Cr Brian Finlayson asked if residents had been consulted about the idea.
“Will residents be OK with all that lighting at night?” Cr Finlayson asked.
Council staff were asked to clarify both the funding source and the energy source. Further action is then dependent on a successful grant application.
Environmental Levy funds have however been committed to purchase 15 street trees for use in River, Wallace and Cooper St as well as a proposed parklet.