October 23, 2024
South Burnett Regional Council has approved 13 applications worth a total of $24,660.68 for funding under its Community Grants Scheme.
The results of the successful applications were announced at Council’s October meeting:
- Cornerstone Christian Ministries – $1000 to buy gazebos, kids’ activities and fairy floss and popcorn machines (amount sought $2869)
- Kingaroy & District Ministry Association – $1500 for 2024 Christmas Carols (amount sought $3000)
- Kingaroy Netball Association – $2487 for Prowler Proof window
- Nanango Business Alliance – $1500 for Nanango Christmas Carnival (amount sought $3000)
- Nanango Sporting Association – $2999 for air conditioner for clubhouse
- Proston Show Society – $1500 to replace storage container (amount sought $3000)
- QCWA Nanango – $3000 to upgrade stairs
- QCWA Proston – $1588 for fridge/freezer for CWA Rooms
- South Burnett Gem & Fossicking Club – $1500 for South Burnett Gem Show
- Sistas In Sync / St John’s Lutheran Women’s Guild – $500 for Qld Lutheran Women celebration dinner (amount sought $2805)
- Tingoora Sports Association – $1500 to purchase sports equipment (amount sought $3000)
- Wondai Lions Club – $2718.18 to replace kitchen whitegoods
- Wooroolin Warriors Cricket Club – $2868.50 to renovate the cricket wicket
Applications by the Kingaroy & District Tennis Association, RSL Nanango Sub-Branch, The HerKind Project, Wondai Amateur Swimming Club and Wondai Proston Wolves RLFC were not approved.
* * *
Councillors voted unanimously to double the Mayor’s Discretionary Fund allocation to $6000.
Discretionary funds are allocated by councillors to community groups “at their discretion” outside the usual community grants application process.
In a separate motion, passed in a split vote, applications to other councillors’ individual $3000 discretionary funds were limited to $500 per application.
Cr Linda Little and Cr Danita Potter voted against this (Cr Jane Erkens was absent for the vote).
* * *
Councillors also voted unanimously to cut the “excess domestic animals” application fee for residents from $190 to $50.
* * *
In move towards the eventual establishment of a Regional University Study Hub in the South Burnett, councillors voted to fund any net operational expenditure shortfall for three years, subject to the grant application to the Federal Government to establish the Hub being successful.
Council also hopes to attract third party sponsorship contributions toward operational costs.
* * *
After a discussion airing concerns about parity between towns, councillors voted to approve an application for in-kind assistance for the 2024 Kingaroy Christmas Carnival, subject to the availability of resources.
The Christmas Carnival Committee sought in-kind support for the Traffic Management Plan as well as provision of road signs and barricades, a skip bin, 30 wheelie bins, two gazebos, 200 chairs and street sweeping.
* * *
The South Burnett Regional Council will formally seek to engage with RES and Stanwell in relation to possible transport routes for the Tarong West Wind Farm.
Council will also request that community feedback be sought on preferred options.
The roads which are expected to be affected are Ironpot Road, Mannuem Road, Nords Road/Redtank Road and Jumma Road.
However, Council believes that although these roads have been named by the wind farm proponents, other roads will be affected, especially due to the existence of a number of sand leases to the west and north-west of the site.
In a separate motion, Council voted to delegate Chief Executive Officer Mark Pitt to negotiate infrastructure agreements to manage and mitigate road impacts as a result of the construction of the Wambo Wind Farm.
Wambo Wind Farm is being built in the Western Downs Regional Council area but construction traffic to the site passes through the South Burnett.
