Council to form new committee to promote safety on Byron beaches
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Published on 22 November 2018
Byron Shire Council will form a new Safe Byron Beaches Committee which will have the objective of ensuring all beaches are safe for everyone to use.
This comes after a rescission motion was debated by Council today (22 November 2018) following a decision made at the October meeting regarding the clothes-optional status of Tyagarah Beach.
Mayor, Simon Richardson, used his casting vote to defeat the rescission motion by Cr Paul Spooner.
“I don’t often use my casting vote because we have nine Councillors, but with one Councillor sick today we were faced with a tied vote,” Mayor Richardson said.
“I had already used my individual vote to support the rescission motion however I view the casting vote as a vote by the Mayor to reflect the view of Council.
“As I knew the absent Councillor opposed the rescission motion and thus, five of nine Councillors were opposed, I used the casting vote to reflect that.
“I also did so as Councillors had already flagged their intention to submit another rescission motion and this would have simply prolonged the inevitable defeat of the rescission motion.
“I did this very reluctantly as personally I strongly supported the rescission motion,” Mayor Richardson said
Whilst recognising community concerns about lewd and offensive behaviour at Tyagarah Councillors, in the original decision made at the October meeting, decided the Safe Byron Beaches Committee, which will report back to Council every six months, is a positive step to addressing anti-social behaviour.
The Committee will target all beaches in the Byron Shire and nearby areas, including Tyagarah and Grays Lane.
“Tyagarah residents at this meeting again recalled offensive and confronting experiences at the beach and Councillors agree that this behaviour needs to stop and that’s why we are forming the Safe Byron Beaches Committee,” Mayor Richardson said.
“Membership of the Committee will include representatives from Council, as well as the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Police, naturists and residents and it will be chaired by a Councillor,” he said.
The Committee will:
Liaise with NSW Police and other agencies Develop rapid response and reporting protocols Implement strategies to support beach user groups and individuals Focus resources on identified problem locations (e.g Grays Lane) Consider how digital technologies can be deployed Draft a positive statement of community values Provide advice to Council“The Council will also consider the allocation of $10,000 for the installation of cameras that will be able to record information such as vehicle registrations and anti-social behaviour,” Mayor Richardson said.
The Safe Byron Beaches Committee will meet every quarter, with staff now working on convening a meeting as soon as possible.
For interviews contact Simon Richardson, Byron Shire Mayor, on 0427 076 834.