NEW state joint organisation (JO) legislation has been backed by Gunnedah Shire Council (GSC) as it joins the Namoi Unlimited JO.
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Namoi Unlimited is a organisation that joins together local councils to help them plan, collaborate and undertake projects to both benefit the whole organisation and the councils themselves.
The new JO is designed to further strengthen the ties between local councils and allow for more projects and developments to take place.
A motion for GSC to join the newly formed Namoi Unlimited JO was successfully passed at Wednesday night’s council meeting following a debate on the topic.
The initial motion to join the JO was challenged by Councillor and former Namoi Unlimited representative Owen Hasler, who said council should not rush its decision on joining.
“This is a new ball game,” Cr Hasler said.
“I really don’t think there is a necessity to rush in.”
Cr Hasler told the council meeting he believed more information about the JO was needed before making a decision to join.
“I would be in favour of deferring this decision until our March meeting to seek more time,” he said.
“At this stage things like costs, budgets and things of that nature are still unknown, so I think holding off until March would give us some time to know exactly what this new JO is all about.”
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Cr Murray O’Keefe spoke in favour of the motion, telling the meeting Namoi Unlimited “has been very supportive of us”.
“I think it is worth supporting and the officer’s recommendation does allow for recession if necessary,” Cr O’Keefe said.
“Given the support Namoi Unlimited has shown us in the past and the upcoming trip to China in March I think by not joining it be showing no confidence.”
The motion to defer the decision on joining the Namoi Unlimited JO was defeated and a motion to join was carried.
GSC’s decision to join the new Namoi Unlimited JO follows Liverpool Plains Shire Council and Tamworth Regional Council’s decisions to join the new JO at their respective council meetings last week.
So far the only council to vote against joining the Namoi Unlimited JO was Uralla Shire Council, who opted to join the New England JO instead.
Billy Jupp
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
Billy is a Senior Livestock Journalist for the Queensland Country Life based in Toowoomba. He has worked for a variety of different ACM mastheads during the past five years including the Namoi Valley Independent, Northern Daily Leader and The Land.
