BATHURST Regional Council will ask the organisers of the Newtons Nation skateboarding event to provide a three-year plan to ensure it becomes self-sufficient.
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The request comes after councillors went against a recommendation by council's director of Corporate Services and Finance to not provide additional financial support for the 2020 event.
Council had already approved a Section 356 donation to the 2020 event to the value of $15,000, but in its application to hold the event at Mount Panorama again the president of the Australian Skateboard Racing Association (ASRA) requested council fully waive the venue hire and cleaning costs.
The costs total $21,436.
However, councillor Warren Aubin suggested a partial fee waiver of $3036 and this was later agreed upon by the other councillors.
He also asked that council request ASRA to provide a three-year strategy to council prior to the 2021 event, addressing how the event can become self-funding.
Cr Aubin said that skateboarding is continuing to grow as a sport, to the point that it will be included in the Olympic Games this year, and it was important to ensure events were held in Australia.
He added that it could benefit Bathurst greatly in future to have an event like Newtons Nation.
"I know we do have a bit of an up and down relationship with these organisers, but I do think it's worth holding on to," he said.
"... We're doing the right thing to back this event again, but I agree that we do definitely need to sit down and get a business plan from these people for ongoing years."
While he ultimately supported the proposal, Cr Alex Christian said it was time that council stopped providing discounts to events to utilise Mount Panorama.
"Mount Panorama should be a place where the ratepayer makes money," he said.
"It's the most recognisable race track in Australia. I don't understand why the ratepayer has to pay someone to come here and use that facility, essentially, by covering costs."
"... Council needs to toughen up a little bit and I think we need to speak to some of these groups and say 'Look, we've got this world-class facility here that the ratepayers paid for, it's going to cost you to use it'."
Newtons Nation will be held at Mount Panorama from March 26 to 29.
ASRA will need to provide their three-year strategy to council in June, so it can be factored in to future budget deliberations.