Clarence Valley Council held its monthly Ordinary Council Meeting on Thursday 16 October at the Grafton Council Chambers.
⬛️ Citizen of the Year Framework adopted
A new Citizen of the Year Framework that aims to celebrate leadership, volunteerism, achievement, service and initiatives that improve the wellbeing, connectedness and quality of life of local residents, has been adopted at the October Ordinary Council Meeting.
The framework consists of three components; a governing Policy, Eligibility Criteria and an Assessment Matrix. The documents establish the rules for nominations, define who is eligible for each award category and outline how nominations are assessed. Award categories include Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year, Service Citizen of the Year
From 2027, the Citizen of the Year Awards Ceremony will be held each year on Australia Day, 26 January. Nominees and their nominators will be able to attend free of charge, while other guests will need to purchase a ticket to help cover event costs.
Council will also apply for available Australia Day grant funding each year from 2027 to help support future Australia Day celebrations and Citizen of the Year Awards ceremonies.
⬛️ Council to submit Local Part Day Public Holidays for 2027-2028
Clarence Valley Council will submit an application to request five part-day public holiday or local event-days under the Public Holidays Act 2010.
Applications were received major local events including the Ramornie Handicap, Grafton Cup, Grafton Jacaranda Festival, Maclean Show and Clarence Harvest Celebration. The proposed holidays would operate as half-day public holidays from 1pm to 5 pm on event days.
Public feedback was collected between 7 and 28 September 2026 through online engagement, direct stakeholder consultation, local media and Council communication channels.
The consultation found broad support for all five proposed local public holidays. Residents identified a range of benefits, including recognising important local traditions, bringing communities together, creating opportunities for families to attend events, and boosting tourism and the local economy.
The officers recommendation was supported 8 – 1 with Councillor Clancy voting against.
⬛️ Members appointed to Grafton Saleyard Advisory Committee
Nine external stakeholders, representing five stakeholder categories, have been appointed to the Grafton Saleyard Advisory Committee following the EOI process, which received 17 nominations before closing on 24 September.
Council set up the Grafton Saleyard Advisory Committee, approved its Terms of Reference, and appointed Cr Debrah Novak as chairperson and Cr Cristie Yager as the Councillor representative at its meeting on 20 August 2026.
The committee can have up to 10 external members, with up to two representatives from each of the following areas: livestock producers, livestock agents, transport carriers, livestock buyers or processors, and relevant industry or government organisations.
At the time of adoption, one position remains vacant in the transport carrier category.
⬛️ Community benefits from the Local Heritage Grants 2026-2027
Fifteen local heritage projects have applied for funding through Clarence Valley Council’s 2026/27 Local Heritage Grants program, helping property owners and community groups protect and maintain important historic places across the region.
The annual grants program supports maintenance and conservation work on heritage-listed properties and contributory historic buildings, as well as projects involving archaeological sites, heritage interpretation, public access and fire safety upgrades.
For 2026/27, a total of $37,492 has been allocated to the program, including $12,500 from Heritage NSW and $24,992 from Clarence Valley Council.
This year’s funding gives priority to projects in rural areas, although applications from other parts of the Clarence Valley can also be considered where funding allows.
Projects seeking support include conservation and repair work at Copmanhurst Memorial Hall, Southgate Hall and Alumy Creek School Museum, as well as works to historic homes. An application has also been received for a bronze plaque recognising three unmarked graves at Iluka Historic Cemetery.
Together, the proposed projects represent more than $166,000 worth of heritage work, meaning Council’s grant funding would help generate around 4.5 times its value in conservation projects across the Clarence Valley.
Grants are generally available for up to $2,000, with applicants normally required to contribute at least half of the project cost. Larger grants or different funding arrangements can also be considered for significant restoration projects that provide strong conservation or public benefits.
Successful projects will need to be completed by 31 March 2027 to meet the funding requirements of the program.
