Councillor wants Christmas spirit back in the streets of Taree and Forster Tuncurry

Councillor Troy Fowler moved that council's "general manager reports on the establishment of Christmas lights/decorations for the CBD(s) of Forster/Tuncurry and Taree".

"Over the last 10 years I've seen in the local Forster Tuncurry area the diminishment of our Christmas decorations and I don't know if it's to do with the local businesses, chamber or council, but I think there's an opportunity for us to bring back a bit of light, so to speak, to the area," Cr Fowler said.

"I was also only recently informed of the significant tree in the Taree area that used to be behind the hospital or in front of the hospital before they turned it all around and put a carpark there.

"I just think we've lost some of that spirit."

Cr Fowler said that in the past two or three years community members had come to him about this issue, and said "it's like we don't actually celebrate Christmas in our area".

Cr Katheryn Smith said she would not support the motion as is, and put forward an amendment to include all of the MidCoast local government area.

"The Mid Coast region is larger than just Forster Tuncurry and Taree. Gloucester is just as important. Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest are just as important. There are more than one or two CBDs in our region," she said.

Cr Paul Sandilands seconded Cr Smith's amendment saying, "I love the motion. I think we should be working more with the businesses in our communities. But the only thing I'll add is that Santa Claus comes to all areas of the Mid Coast, not just the glossy bits."

Cr Fowler said he would not accept the amendment. Cr Peter Epov also spoke against the amendment, saying that he thought Fowler should actually narrow the notice of motion ever further, to include only Taree and Forster (leaving out Tuncurry).

"Too often really good ideas get lost when everybody right at the outset wants to include everybody into it," Cr Epov said.

"This is some sort of a socialist view that suddenly we've got to get everybody to have a share of this, or it's not good for the community."

Cr Epov said that the reintroduction of Christmas decorations should be trialed in the Taree and Forster CBDs first and then sent out to other communities in the LGA.

Cr Fowler apologised for not including other areas in the LGA in the notice of motion, and added, "It's a basic report - I just want the process to start."

Cr Dheera Smith spoke for Cr Katheryn Smith's amendment and said she wanted to "possibly forecast" an amendment "that it is called holiday or seasonal lighting, because I think there's a lot of people who are not inclusive in Christianity so we need to include all people".

The amendment to include all areas was lost, with Crs K Smith, D Smith, Sandilands, Miller, and Pontin voting for the amendment, and Crs Tickle, West, Fowler, Howard, Bell and Epov voting against.

"I'm a bit torn because I do believe this is a great motion but I'm disgusted that no-one else thinks that the rest of the region is important and that's what this says to me," Cr Katheryn Smith said.

"I understand you're talking about pilot programs but this was a report to look at options and I really believe this council's missed an opportunity to look at all options. I'm stuck on principle on which way I should vote."

Going back to the original motion, there was a discussion about the possibility of involving businesses and Chambers of Commerce in decorating CBDs.

The notice of motion passed with Crs Howard, Epov, Bell, Fowler, Pontin, Tickle, West, Sandlands and Miller voting for it, and the Crs D Smith and K Smith against.

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