Kootingal War Memorial Hall committee 'shocked' as Tamworth Regional Council plans to dissolve committee

Tamworth Regional Council has proposed dissolving the Kootingal War Memorial Hall Committee - a Section 355 committee first established in 2008 - and taking over its assets.

Kootingal War Memorial Hall chairperson Pam Crayn told the Leader the committee had received no communication from council about the proposal.

"If they vote for us to be dissolved because of a redevelopment that is only going to take a short period of time, it opens up the doors for them to get rid of every 355 committee," she said.

"We are volunteers looking after community assets, and we put in a lot of time and effort to do that, and all they want to do is get rid of the 355 section of the council."

In a report going to council at Tuesday night's meeting, Director Liveable Communities Gina Vereker recommends council dissolves the committee due to the commencement of major works at the hall in the coming months.

"...it will be necessary for council to assume full control and have unfettered access to the hall," she wrote.

"Consequently, it is considered that the Committee will not be in a position to fulfill its function in the lead up to and during the construction period and therefore it is appropriate that the Kootingal War Memorial Hall Committee be dissolved and that council assume the full management and operation."

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The committee has previously fought against the redevelopment.

Ms Crayn said the hall is regularly used for a variety of activities from dances and birthday parties to church services.

"If council take this over and we don't get it back, the hire of the hall would be so expensive people wouldn't be able to hire it, and it would be a lot harder for the community to use the hall," she said.

If the motion passes, the committee will be given seven days to remove all items from the hall, and all future bookings would go through council.

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