At last week's meeting, Moree Plains Shire Council (MPSC) discussed which projects they would endorse, both relating to council land or infrastructure and unrelated.

$100 million in funding is available for this round of the SCCF, with half of that allocated solely for youth projects.

Much of the discussion at MPSC's ordinary council meeting on Thursday, August 23, was around the redevelopment of the Moree Civic Precinct.

Council will endorse a request for further funding to go towards the Moree Civic Precinct redevelopment.

The Moree Civic Precinct is up for further funding after it secured more than $1 million in state government funding in June 2018.

The original proposal made my councillor Mike Montgomery was to just include an upgrade to the banquet hall in the application, while councillor John Tramby wanted to add a mezzanine refurbishment and seating.

The banquet hall upgrade would require $434,861, with the inclusion of a mezzanine level to increase it to $581,676.

However, Mr Tramby said he has secured a private co-funding contribution of $146,815 to cover the costs of the mezzanine refurbishment.

Mr Tramby said the addition of a movie cinema in town has been discussed for ten years, with the majority of the community supporting the project.

"My argument is that every town has got a cinema and we don't," he said.

"Goondiwindi, Narrabri, Gunnedah, Quirindi, Inverell, Tenterfield. The whole lot of them, except us.

"They all see a value in our town for somewhere for people to go at night.

"The mezzanine level makes conferences viable. It makes your cinema viable. It makes your town hall usable for other factors, otherwise you don't get the people there."

Mr Tramby said it will have little to no labour cost to run, and believes it will be a great place for young people to utilise.

Councillor Kerry Cassells, who is involved in the Moree youth council, said a movie theatre with a mezzanine level "will be exactly what Moree needs."

"We can do something for all the community, but particularly the youth," she said.

"They want a movie theatre. They want a conference centre. They want their own area where they can have their own concerts."

While the funding contributor wishes to remain private, Mr Tramby said he would "go guarantor" for them, but Mr Montgomery expressed concerns, saying "it's not as simple as it's been made out to be."

However, the vote was passed to include the mezzanine refurbishment by four votes to three.

Council has requested further investigation be carried out into the scope of works to ensure cost estimations are correct which will be brought back to council at the next meeting.

They will then be voted on to confirm the endorsements of these applications for the SCCF.

Council will also investigate further the application from the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre (MAAC) for an extension of their gym facilities.

The extension is planned for the north-eastern end of the building, which would allow for the facility to cater for more members.

MAAC chief operating officer Julie Rushby said they are hoping to be able to extend the opening hours of the gym or potentially make it open 24-hours.

"This would become unsupervised so there would be no increase in costs in terms of staffing hours," she said.

"It is something that is covered by insurance and would ensure safety through CCTV and swipe access.

"What we envisage, we'll be able to increase our membership by 10 or 20 percent; $70,000 in income at no extra cost in running the centre."

Ms Rushby it would also provide the MAAC the opportunity to run youth programs.

"We're making our community stronger by developing younger people," she said.

"It's an opportunity to work with our sporting teams, give them alternative programs, and secure some regional sporting camps."

Additionally, council will provide letters of support to the Moree Boars application for $300,000 to go towards their new clubhouse and grandstand, $112,000 for the proposed Country Kids Festival, $80,000 for the Moree Cycling Project as well as an application by the Moree Ski Club for the new Mehi Beach and further playgrounds and shelters.