Council wants share of coal income
Posted
The Gunnedah Shire Council says the New South Wales Government should share its income from coal mining with the local communities that are most affected.
It will ask the Local Government Association to develop a policy that will provide local communities with 3 per cent of the Government's take of coal sales.
It is also asking the association to press for payment to councils of 0.5 per cent of the fees charged to companies for the right to explore for coal.
Mayor Gae Swain says local councils are being financially stretched to provide additional resources being demanded by the boom in coal mining.
"We think these big companies coming into our area should be part of the community infrastructure process," she said.
"It's incumbent on the Government to acknowledge the impact on local government and to give us a percentage of the finance that comes from these projects."
