By JONATHON HOWARD
RESTRUCTURING of the Noosa Biosphere will place the community in the driver’s seat, says Noosa Council, despite several former volunteers of the Biosphere criticising the move.
It’s a case of out with the old and in with the new, as the council-owned Noosa Biosphere Limited company finishes later this year.
Although several residents have expressed concerns over the loss of the previous committee chair, Sue Davis, who announced her resignation over the restructure, council said building a strong and smart economy that was in harmony with the environment was at the core of the restructure.
It will be replaced by a “Trust” and an incorporated “Association” made up of the volunteers who take part in Biosphere projects.
Mayor Noel Playford said the Trust structure was the best custodian for the Noosa community – controlling the Biosphere’s assets, planning and reporting.
“While the council will initially appoint the five directors of the Trustee Company, vacancies will in future be filled by the board itself, except for one position that will be filled by council,” he said.
Council documents said the trust structure was seen as the best way to attract funding to the Biosphere Reserve from grants and donations, including support from council.
At the co-ordination level, the new structure will be further removed from the council, with day-to-day operations run by a community-based Association.
Deputy Mayor, Bob Abbot, ran Noosa Council when the UNESCO Biosphere status was awarded in 2007.
Mr Abbot said the agreed structure emerged from months of discussion, with input from many of the hard-working volunteers and stakeholders across the community.
“It’s a compromise that strengthens my belief in local democracy,” he said.
Cr Playford said he was confident most of Noosa would support the community-controlled Biosphere framework that’s now been endorsed.
However, Cr Playford said the details around the concept would need to come after even further community consultation in the months ahead.
He said there would be significant funding in the council’s budget 2014/15 to be delivered next month.
The funding will focus on clever initiatives and projects that fit Biosphere’s aims.
“In the end, what most people tell me they want is to see our ratepayers’ dollars spent wisely on projects that help deliver the Biosphere vision, and that’s a clever economy that sees Noosa prosper while protecting our very special environment and lifestyle,” he said.
