Ballina council advances Skennars Head rezoning and education-use bid

Ballina Shire Council has endorsed the rezoning of 305 The Coast Road, Skennars Head, and sent the proposal on for finalisation after its ordinary meeting at the council chambers in Ballina on 25 June. Councillors voted unanimously to submit Planning Proposal BSCPP 25/002 to the NSW Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure and authorised the general manager to execute the planning agreement.

The same meeting gave in-principle support to a separate planning proposal for part of Lot A DP 415993, 450 North Creek Road, Skennars Head. The proposal seeks to permit an educational establishment as an additional permitted use. Council invited the proponent to lodge a formal planning proposal and said it would set out the information and technical requirements needed to progress it.

Councillors also endorsed Planning Proposal BSCPP 26/002 for council-owned land. That proposal would integrate council-owned land parcels into the Ballina Local Environmental Plan 2012. It will be sent to the department for a Gateway determination. If that determination is affirmative, the proposal will go on public exhibition, along with the related land classification and categorisation changes, before returning to council for further consideration.

The planning decisions landed alongside a broader budget and policy agenda. Council adopted the draft 2026/27 to 2029/30 Delivery Program and 2026/27 Operational Plan, including the Long-Term Financial Plan, Workforce Management Strategy, Fees and Charges and Strategic Asset Management Plan.

It also set the 2026/27 ordinary rates structure. The rate in the dollar is 0.11065 for residential land, 0.54205 for business land, 0.08966 for farmland and 0.54205 for mining land, each with a $690 base amount.

Council adopted interest on overdue rates and charges of 9.5 per cent a year for 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027. It also approved revised waste charges for 2026/27 and the remaining annual charges for stormwater, water services, wastewater services and onsite septic management.

Residents disposing of correctly packaged non-friable asbestos under the program will face a new fee of $618 a tonne. Council also adopted updated cemetery fees and charges based on supplier and NSW Cemetery and Crematoria information.

The meeting resolved to make representations to the Prime Minister, the NSW Premier, relevant Federal and State Ministers, and LGNSW over disaster recovery funding. Council opposed any changes to federal and state formulas that would shift more disaster management costs onto local government or dilute the funds available to it.

Other planning and policy items also moved. Council adopted amended conflicts of interest and social media policies and placed both on public exhibition. It approved a working party of all councillors to review community donation submissions and asked for recommendations to be reported to the 23 July 2026 meeting.

The council also approved a panel of recognised contractors for sewer pump station switchboard renewals for four years, including Binney Electrical. It approved works for chambers remediation and improvements, renewal of the Civica Altitude service agreement, a new enterprise asset management system, Microsoft licensing and the leasing of 64 Crane Street, Ballina.