Support in sight for Pottsville Men’s Shed DA fee woes

TWEED Council has agreed to support the Pottsville and District Men’s Shed Inc. (PADMS) to the tune of $23,996 for developer contribution fees.

The Notice of Motion brought by Councillor James Owen requested financial support for the fees related to an extension shed at the Black Rocks Sportsfield, which the group has occupied since 2018.

The extension’s DA condition is that applicants must pay the developer fees before receiving a construction certificate. Cr Owen believed Tweed Council support could come from an interest-free five-year loan.

Council management said the Notice of Motion did not accord with the Council’s adopted policies of Developer Contributions and Developer Charges for Community Organisations and Community Sponsorship.

Funding guidelines include no retrospective funding, only one application per year and two in three years, and that projects must be completed within 12 months.

Background information noted that PADMS had not applied under the recent sponsorship round in June 2024. However, eligibility criteria specify that financial assistance is not given to reimburse groups or organisations for Council fees. They also state that funding applications should be submitted with the initial development application.

In accordance with the spirit of the Tweed Council’s adopted policies and for transparency and equality between all groups, the motion to fund the fee shortfall for the non-profit organisation with a loan was carried unanimously. The Community Facilities Reserve will provide interest-free funds to cover the fees for a loan term of five years.

PADMS celebrated its 10th birthday in February this year and is currently fundraising for the $250,000 needed for the new shed and facility improvements. It has raised approximately $120,000 to date.

To find out more about the work of the Pottsville and District Men’s Shed, visit padms.org