PORT Macquarie-Hastings Council will revisit its approach to sporting venue sponsorship after unanimously backing a move to consult with the Sports Council before making any final decisions on fees.
The motion, put forward by Councillor Nik Lipovac and seconded by Cr Rachel Sheppard, marked a clear departure from the original staff recommendation, which had proposed a more immediate path to implementation.
Cr Lipovac delivered a forceful plea in support of the revised approach, highlighting the growing financial strain on local sporting groups.
“The ultimate goal here is to reduce the new and rising fees that local sporting clubs and participants are being asked to pay,” he said.
“In my opinion, the Council continues to consider ways to bleed our sporting groups dry to the point of collapse in an effort to recover the costs of maintaining sporting fields.
“Do we charge for use of public bathrooms, do we charge tolls on local roads or charge people using the coastal walks or playgrounds?
“No, they are all covered by rates.
“But we expect our sporting clubs to pay more and more to use our facilities.”
The endorsed resolution will now see Council engage directly with the Port Macquarie-Hastings Sports Council to seek feedback on potential sponsorship models.
A further report will then be brought back to the chamber for consideration.
All nine councillors voted in favour of the motion, signalling a strong appetite for a more collaborative and potentially club-friendly solution to the rising costs of sports field maintenance.
The decision comes amid wider community concern over increased fees across Council services, and follows broader discussions around budget pressures highlighted in other agenda items during the same meeting.
Local sports organisations will now have an opportunity to influence the outcome of this policy, with Council expected to review the matter in a future meeting once consultation is complete.
By Emily GRAHAM
