THE fate of the multi-million dollar regional relocation marketing scheme, Evocities, will be sealed this week.
The Leader understands the five remaining councils will meet in Sydney on Thursday to discuss the future of the program.
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Tamworth Regional Council remains invested in the program after inking a four-year MOU worth $332,000 less than a year ago.
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But mayor Col Murray said all options would be on the table at the meeting which could see the cross-council concept canned.
"I think I'd fairly represent my fellow councillors by saying we need to have an open mind to what the future might bring," he said.
"We still need to invest in the attraction of people to our city, but it's figuring out what shape that takes."
Recently, Wagga Wagga and Armidale have withdrawn from the group and Orange decided to renew its membership on a one year deal.
The mayor agreed it would be a big call to scrap the program after the drawing millions of dollars worth investment from seven councils during the last decade.
But with some of the members now "wavering" a full stop could be put on the relocation campaign.
There has been discussions with the Tamworth-born group Regional Cities NSW, comprised of 17 NSW councils, to see whether other cities would be interested in joining Evocities.
Cr Murray, the inaugural chairman of the council super-group wasn't certain about the possibility of a collaboration with Evocities.
"[Evocities] was a program designed for those seven inland councils and it might not have the same level relevance to any other group," he said.
"I think there is consensus Evocities is not going to sit completely comfortably right across the Regional Cities NSW platform, but we'll see if there is any appetite for something parallel.
"The one consistent things that came out of any discussion with people who moved through the Evocities, they had to have the job first." He suggested a program which attracted jobs regionally.
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Jacob McArthur
Jacob McArthur is a producer for The Canberra Times. As part of production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth. He kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council, as well as the public health system, writing extensively about water security, the need for better palliative care services, and medicinal cannabis. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
Jacob McArthur is a producer for The Canberra Times. As part of production team, he helps the people of Canberra and beyond get the stories they need, when they need them across a range of platforms, while helping maintain a high editorial standard. Before moving to Canberra in 2020, he started with Australian Community Media in 2015 as a journalist for The Northern Daily Leader in Tamworth. He kept a close eye on Tamworth Regional Council, as well as the public health system, writing extensively about water security, the need for better palliative care services, and medicinal cannabis. Jacob was also the co-host of ACM's Water Pressure podcast where he and Jamieson Murphy took a deep dive on issues and key decisions arising during one of the region's worst droughts on record.
