The towns and villages throughout Moree Plains Shire will be looking much more festive this coming Christmas, with council to purchase brand new decorations to bring some extra cheer this year.
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The change comes after council received a submission from the Urban Advisory Committee (UAC) in response to its draft 2020-2021 operational plan and budget.
The UAC requested that council allocate more funding to Christmas decorations for the main street.
Council had originally allocated $15,000 to purchase Christmas decorations for this year, however the UAC requested that the budget be increased to $50,000 in an effort to make the festive season a little bit more special this year.
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"While the committee greatly appreciates council's consideration of Christmas decorations, the committee believes this figure will not provide the level of investment required to improve Moree's much-depleted and inadequate stock of decorations," the UAC wrote in its submission.
The UAC proposed that council consider increasing its decoration budget to $50,000, after its initial investigations revealed that the cost of a five-metre high Christmas tree for the town centre, with a security fence, would be $25,000 alone, while festoon lights across Balo Street would be approximately $30,000 and other filler decorations at least $10,000.
The UAC said its members have received many complaints over recent years about the lack of decorations in Moree's CBD and believe an increased Christmas budget would help business owners to increase foot traffic and drive "much-needed spending".
"With the substantial economic and social trials our community has experienced from the drought and COVID-19, the committee believe it is critical we provide the shire an extra special Christmas this year by investing in revitalising our drained CBD and surrounding villages to boost community morale and bring people together with true country Christmas spirit," the UAC said.
At Thursday's meeting, all councillors were in agreeance that decorations had been lacking in recent years, and that Christmas cheer was particularly important this year.
Mayor Katrina Humphries also acknowledged that council's budget for the annual carols event/Christmas party had also been reduced over the past few years.
"I think if we have a bit of cash we can spare, we should spend a bit on ho, ho, ho," she said.
"We haven't had any in the past few years."
"What we have had has been second hand from a Sydney council," Cr John Tramby added.
Cr Sue Price suggested that Mungindi and the other villages would also love to have some decorations.
After discussing the various ways they've managed to save money this year as a result of COVID-19, councillors decided to allocate $70,000 from the Community Development budget to purchase Christmas decorations, with $50,000 for Moree and an additional $20,000 to decorate the shire's villages.
"This will be a first, giving them more money than they asked for," mayor Katrina Humphries said.
"But I'd rather buy $70,000 worth of new decorations that lasts us a few years than spend it on a fireworks demonstration that's over in a few minutes.
"I think we need some delight in our community this year."
