Glen Innes Severn councillors have decided to ask for public feedback before making a final decision on local weighbridge charges.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The ongoing issue of how much to charge and on what at the quarry weighbridge and the Glen Innes saleyards still remains unresolved after last Thursday’s council meeting.
In the last days of the previous council a decision was made to charge a fee of $7.70 per head of cattle weighed at the quarry weighbridge.
Council now looks set to reverse the previous per head of cattle fee that has caused controversy since it was announced.
To assist councillors in making a decision council has agreed to put their current fee structure out for public consultation for the next 28 days.
Directors will then prepare a further report to Council after the public consultation period.
Councillors exchanged barbs between themselves and staff at the meeting and during the highly emotional debate asked for amendments to the planned fee structure.
Councillors agreed that all weighing at the Glen Innes aggregates weighbridge should be set to one fee and that everything, from livestock to gravel be charged at the same rate.
Councillor Glenn Frendon was particularly forthright in his criticism of the per head charges.
“I believe that we are the only weighbridge in Australia that weighs per head of cattle,” he said.
“It does not make sense to charge a different fee for each product that is weighed and that needs to change.”
“The saleyards will more than likely close within the next 12 months the way the current system is going and change is needed, a way needs be worked out to attract people to use the saleyards and cheaper fees may help that.”
During a public submission before the meeting Local livestock producer David Donnelly said the council should refrain from actions that are driving producers away from the saleyards.
Mayor Toms said once feedback from the public came back to the council they would make an informed and rational decision.