Ballina Council has postponed finalising its biodiversity and habitat management plans, instead sending the draft Development Control Plan back for additional public consultation. The Echo reports that the decision was made at a recent council meeting, though technical audio problems obscured the reasons for the change.
In a separate decision, Ballina Shire Council has deferred a proposed $50,000 mural project for the Lennox Head water reservoir. Ballina News Daily reports the deferral followed debate over water rates, public art spending, and cost-of-living pressures. A comment piece in the same publication questioned whether the mural represented good value for ratepayers, raising broader concerns about council priorities and public spending.