After attending the Border Regional Organisation of Councils (BROC) meeting in Bingara on May 4, Cr Dight had plenty to share.

She said the speakers were impressive and all in attendance walked away with fresh ideas for respective border councils.

Topics such as initiating development of the Cunningham’s Weir across the Dumaresq River over the QLD NSW Border, the Bruxner Way and council ‘self-help’ policies were discussed.

“Adam Marshall explained that the NSW Government was about to embark on their road re-classification and that it would be a good time to approach the state government with the Bruxner Way issue,” she said.

Meanwhile, Derek Baker, UNE’s professor of Agribusiness presented an alternative cost benefit ratio analysis for roads. 

The general meeting followed and the group moved to commission UNE to investigate the ratios for the Bruxner Way for the purposes of promoting its re-classification. “It finished with the first meeting of the Bruxner Way Joint Committee consisting of Tenterfield, Inverell, Gwydir and Moree councils.

“The terms of reference were agreed upon and Tenterfield elected as the chair,” she said.

Inverell Shire Councillors moved Cr Dight’s recommendations that:

Inverell Shire Council approach the cross border commissioner James McTavish regarding the Cunningham’s Weir Upgrade project for consideration in the Cross Border Commission Infrastructure Fund.

Inverell Shire Council support BROC in utilising the UNE Agribusiness road ratio analysis for assessing the value of the Bruxner Way, and 

Inverell Shire Council review their ‘self-help’ policy for the purposes of shire road management and investigate the best possible application for these type of arrangements. Cr Peters added that he welcomed discussion on council’s ‘self-help’ policy with great concern as he didn’t want to see a shift in rural road responsibility falling on farmers.