Port Macquarie-Hastings Council appears to have secured the short to medium term future of Tuffins Lane after discussions with the Catholic church.
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At its meeting on Wednesday night, mayor Peter Besseling outlined plans for council to enter an agreement with the Diocese of Lismore and St Agnes Catholic Parish to secure future use of the playing fields.
This follows the apparent decision by the current owners to sell the parcel of land to the church. It is understood a deal to sell the land to the parish is imminent.
“The option that is currently being pursued to secure Tuffins Lane is due to the efforts of the local Parish and in particular, Father Donnelly,” the mayor said.
“Our community should not underestimate the strong desire of Father Donnelly to make these sporting fields available to our community and council is certainly appreciative of his personal efforts and those of the St Agnes Parish.
“This matter has been the subject of broad discussion within the community and council.
“Council needed flexibility and creativity in how to resolve the potential impasse involved in this issue. I am pleased to say, as a result of discussions and potential discussions with the parish and council, … that we seem to have found a way forward.
“My understanding is that the parish will purchase the land and, as a result, the mayoral minute is clear in our (council) moving forward.”
However the mayor stressed that it did not stop council from looking at longer term commitments to sport in the area.
He said council has ‘certainly flagged the Wauchope sporting precinct’.
“And that doesn’t change any of that,” he added.
He said the security offered is for medium term and provides some breathing space for council to move forward for the longer term proposal.
The mayor described the outcome as ‘a good result’.
The four point mayoral minute:
- Would see the mayor and general manager given delegated authority to enter into an agreement with the trustees of the diocese of Lismore and St Agnes Catholic Parish for the lease/sub-lease – or similar agreement – of Tuffins Lane Sporting Fields on suitable terms to council of between five and ten years;
- Requests the general manager to table a report at a future meeting of council detailing the terms of the agreement;
- Notes the commitment from the trustees to remove the notice to quit/vacate on settlement of the new lease; and,
- On removal of that notice council would commit to maintaining Tuffins Lane through a $100,000 minimum, annual in-kind contribution for the period of the proposed agreement.
General manager Craig Swift-McNair confirmed that the financial commitment of $100,000 was based on average maintenance costs council incurred over the past five years.
