BATHURST Regional Council is set to deny a funding request made by the organisers of the Rotary Youth Driver Awareness (RYDA) program.
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The program, organised by Bathurst East Rotary, was held at the Mount Panorama pit complex over five days from March 6 this year.
It was attended by 528 students from Bathurst, Blayney and Lithgow.
After meeting with council in September, Bathurst East Rotary has requested that council provide additional funding of around $19,000 to cover the hire fees and charges associated with the use of the Mount facilities.
This would be in addition to the $4333 council has already provided through its annual donations program, Section 356 Mount Panorama Donations.
Traditionally, the fee for holding the event at Mount Panorama has been $6500, but in 2018 council looked closely at the event and determined that the actual hire fees of last year's program were $16,066.
This was communicated to Rotary in September, 2018.
With the event now held over five days instead of four, the actual hire fees for the 2019 program were $23,624.
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A report to Wednesday's meeting of council details Rotary's request for a full fee waiver.
The recommendation from the director of Corporate Services and Finance is not to support the request for additional funding for the 2019 program.
However, councillors are able to vote against this.
Should they resolve to waive any part or all of the hire fees, a further report will need to be presented for council's consideration to identify a funding source.
This is because council's Section 356 allocation for this financial year has already been fully expended.
This isn't the first time RYDA organisers have had to fight for support from council to run the program.
In March 2016, the future of RYDA was put under a cloud by council's refusal to sign a three-year deal worth $20,000. Each year since, Bathurst East Rotary has had to go to council for assistance.
With the help of council, the group secured a three-year sponsorship deal with Skillset in May, 2018, which at the time was to pay half (then $3250) of the pit complex hire fees for the next three years.
