New signage and inspections to tackle unauthorised camping
13 October 2017
Council and agencies working to assist genuine homeless at Chinderah
Tweed Shire Council is erecting new signage along Chinderah Bay Drive at Chinderah and is about to commence a new program of compliance and enforcement to address unauthorised camping and related anti-social activity.
The move follows a recent resolution of Council for new signage to provide Council with a clearer and more legally defensible basis for restricting overnight stays by tourists in vehicles along the road reserve and public foreshore area.
Council’s Acting General Manager, Vince Connell, said Council rangers would carry out random inspections and fine anyone found to be in contravention of the new signage.
“However, we are very mindful that a number of people choosing to stay overnight are genuinely homeless, and in need of support and assistance,” Mr Connell said.
Some Councillors, Council staff and the Member for Tweed, Geoff Provest have met on a number of occasions with John Lee of You Have a Friend to develop strategies to assist genuine homeless people frequenting both the Chinderah Bay Drive and other public areas to find more permanent accommodation and access to state and federal services.
“Council has developed a data base of genuine homeless people in consultation with John Lee and State agencies.
“This data base will be used to guide Council rangers in their enforcement of the new signage. It is proposed to give these people a reasonable opportunity to find a more permanent form of housing through the assistance of the welfare agencies. They will be advised that they cannot stay at Chinderah on a permanent basis.”
“With the guidance from Mr Lee, and continuing liaison between Council’s rangers, local police and state agencies, Council’s new compliance and enforcement actions aim to protect the wellbeing of the genuine homeless, while also enabling Council to take stricter action and fine those other visitors to the Chinderah Bay Drive area for any non-compliance with the new signage,” he said.