New plan for memorials

ROADSIDE memorials were the topic of debate in a new draft policy currently before council.
The Management of Roadside Memorials Policy was brought before council at the Services and Organisation Committee meeting held on Tuesday 10 May.
The policy would apply to council land only and states clear guidelines on the placement and removal of roadside memorials including white crosses and memorabilia.
Prompted by a recent complaint to council over a roadside memorial outside residential premises Noosa Council director of community services Alan (Fox) Rogers said the policy was not a “policing” policy, but was a guide for council when dealing with complaints.
“We’re not intending to go out and do an audit of every roadside memorial and we would only be looking at acting in response to a complaint,” he said.
“Currently, if there’s a complaint, we have no opportunity to react to that complaint because we have no policy basis on which to do so.”
Mr Rogers said although roadside memorials sometimes acted as a warning for other drivers to slow down, there were also issues of safety and distraction for drivers.
“If there’s a memorial in the middle of a roundabout then there are safety issues when people want to add to the memorial, when they are trying to cross a double lane road,” he said.
The policy proposes roadside memorials will be temporary installations only and should remain in place for a maximum of three months.
The policy also states memorials should consist of white crosses only, however Councillor Ingrid Jackson and Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie both raised concerns over the restrictions of the memorial type saying the addition of a “white cross” negated other religions.
The policy will be brought before the council again in coming weeks.