Despite rumours and speculation to the contrary, the Narromine Cenotaph will be moved in 2015. However, it will not be before the 100 year anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli as council originally planned.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Mayor Bill McAnally confirmed yesterday the Cenotaph will remain where it currently is for at least the first four months of this year.
"It's not going to be moved for Anzac Day, we're going to make it shiny and spick for the 100 year anniversary," he said.
The councillors met on Wednesday evening for an extraordinary meeting of council to discuss the finer details of the Cenotaph move starting after April 25 this year.
The meeting was called by councillors Les Lambert, Dawn Collins and Craig Davies as they insisted on more information about the Cenotaph move.
Cr McAnally opened the meeting by telling councillors if they desired more information to ask at the time.
"The time to ask is when we're discussing it in the council meeting," he said.
Cr Lambert said they called the meeting due to "little inaccuracies" in the report presented to Council in April 2014, when they decided to move the Cenotaph.
"Some of the staff may have been mislead as well as us mislead," he said.
"Little things need to be done so we're happy with the decision. I'm quite happy to move it."
Crs Lambert, Collins and Davies required more information on the cost of the Cenotaph move so far, the Stonemason, the Barnson's Report on the Cenotaph, the total cost of the project, the veracity of information given to Councillors in relation to the Cenotaph and the impact on local business while the Cenotaph was barricaded.
"The Stonemason Issue" was alluded to throughout the meeting but was not able to be spoken until the Closed Meeting as the issue contained "advice concerning litigation, or advice that would otherwise be privileged from production in legal proceeds on the ground of legal professional privilege and is therefore not in public interest to disclose," according to the council business paper.
Cr McAnally revealed on Thursday the Stonemason had withdrawn himself.
"The Stonemason has pulled out, it was his prerogative," he said.
"These things happen there are no hard feelings."
The mayor said council will have to find another Stonemason which is not as easy as believed.
Director of Engineering, Kerrie Murphy said despite seeming like there are hundreds of stonemasons, finding someone to do memorials is quite difficult.
"Just because they're in phone book doesn't mean they're qualified," she said.
In relation to the barricades, Cr McCutcheon said they were informed they cost around $2100 to hire.
Cr Lambert expressed his concern for the businesses around the Cenotaph that would lose out if the parking is taking away.
"It's incidental things we've got to be very aware of, a snowball effect. Our actions have a reaction," Cr Lambert said.
Cr Collins agreed with him.
"It's alright to say it's going to look pretty. We should be seen as supporting businesses. They're crying out for our help," she said.
Cr McAnally said council has kept the businesses in mind.
"Design is catering for as much parking as we can," he said.
Mrs Murphy said the parking would not be changed without consultation.
Cr McAnally said he is not "over it or sick of (the Cenotaph relocation)" but he is relieved the job won't be half done for the significant Anzac Day in April.
"My biggest fear in the whole world is that it won't be done. Now it will look lovely," he said.