Some councillors it seems are not so keen for it to die a natural death, instead eager to revive the levy to live another day.

Others - like Mark Rodda - reckon it should be off the agenda "for the foreseeable future".

To my mind it was always going to be a tough sell, especially in this time of severe drought, when retail in particular is struggling.

It'll be interesting to see if the levy supporters are willing to go out on a limb with this one, and continue the push to make businesses pay.

Another story that caught my eye this week was one dad's plea to have his son banned from entering Coledale.

"That's where the problem is," the father told Tamworth Local Court.

"His problems are there."

The magistrate agreed, and imposed the unusual condition as part of intensive corrections order.

Our population figures came into the spotlight this week.

Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show between 2013 and 2018, Tamworth and its surrounding villages, Gunnedah and Armidale all saw steady population increases.

However, Moree, Tenterfield, Walcha and Glen Innes all experienced population decline, while the populations of Narrabri and Quirindi grew by less than 1 per cent in six years.

With government keen to support growth in our regional centres, I do wonder what impact these figures will have at a decision making level.

But enough from me. Here's some more highlights from the week, and enjoy the rest of your Sunday.

Fiona Ferguson

Editor Northern Daily Leader