Festival funded on 4-3 vote

Gosford Council has narrowly agreed to provide a $5000 sponsorship for the Brisbane Water Oyster Festival.

The council resolved 4-3 at its meeting on July 27 to accept a sponsorship deal for the November event.

The festival organising committee will be required in future to submit any application for sponsorship under council's Sponsorship for Events policy.

Cr Jeff Strickson, Cr Chris Holstein, Cr Chris Burke and Cr Peter Freewater supported the motion to sponsor the festival, but Cr Amy Houston, Cr Laurie Maher and Cr Craig Doyle did not.

Cr Doyle argued that, while the festival was a great local event for the Peninsula and wider Central Coast that brought hundreds of visitors to the area, he believed that the event was well established and did not need council's continued financial support to sustain it.

"In its 10 years, the Brisbane Water Oyster Festival has grown dramatically and continues to bring hundreds of locals and visitors to Ettalong," Cr Doyle said.

"However, we know the event runs at a profit and receives commercial sponsorship and financial support through its success.

"This issue comes up year in and year out

"It's about equity and organisers need to realise that council has in place a grants application process that other community organisations must go through.

"Why should it be any different for this event?

"Council is about helping events get off the ground and planting the seed in order for them to become self-sustaining.

"It's about time council started to provide funding to other events and community groups who are starting out and in need of real help."

However, Cr Strickson said that council should support an event that brought so much interest and tourism dollar to the Peninsula.

"This event brings a great deal of good to the Peninsula community," Cr Strickson said.

"No more or less is being asked by the festival than in the previous years.

"Let's get a sponsorship policy up and running so we can deal with these kinds of matters appropriately in future."

Council's director of community services and organisational development Mr Terry Thirwell said council's strategy policy workshop would deal with developing such a policy at its next meeting.

Cr Freewater also pointed out that council used the annual event to promote its issues on the local environment and other important matters through a street stall.

"Why are we having this discussion when we know the festival is a worthy event that not only brings people to the area and promotes our local oyster industry but also raises money for breast cancer research?"

A council staff report stated that since the festival's start in 2000, the council had supported the event by providing in-kind and financial support.

"The Brisbane Water Oyster Festival and Blessing of the Fleet was established in 2000 by the Peninsula Chamber of Commerce to showcase the Peninsula, local oyster farming and the professional Fisherman's Association," the report stated.

"Council's support in past years has been $5000, a one-off sponsorship of $10,000 in 2008 plus $2000 in-kind.

"The festival has grown over the 10 years and now has broad community support, a strong connection to the community, attracts people to the area, is supportive of the Cancer Council of NSW and helps significantly in creating positive community spirit.

"A budget of $5000 has been allocated to financially support the festival."

Clare Graham, 30 Jul 2010 Council agenda COM.17, 27 Jul 2010