Councillors knock back bill waiver

School will pay $50k in charges

A TOOWOOMBA private school has failed to secure a partial waiver of its $50,000 infrastructure charges notice from the council for extensions to its campus.

Darling Downs Christian School in Glenvale will have to foot the bill for the construction of a new senior school building and a new car park after the decision by the councillors yesterday.

Council planner Nadia McLeod recommended the 50 per cent waiver be rejected, citing the fact there was no policy that was applicable to the project and that the charges were calculated correctly.

In her report to the councillors, Ms McLeod said the school argued it was a not-forprofit organisation and the costs could delay further investment in school infrastructure.

“Reasons provided supporting the request include that the school is a not-for-profit orga- nisation and that the new senior school building would provide improved facilities to meet current day curriculum standards and demands to the benefit of the community,” she wrote.

The TRC had previously approved full waivers for educational establishments, including the Youth Community Learning Centre on Ruthven St and Lifeline Darling Downs on Hume Sts, both in 2015.

But the councillors’ decision to knock back Darling Downs Christian School was believed to be based on the rejection of Toowoomba Grammar School in 2015, as they were both traditional education centres.

The council has had a history of being at odds with its own officers regarding infrastructure charges waivers for notfor-profits.

Since 2013, councillors voted to waive more than $3.4 million in charges for 15 projects submitted by NFP organisations.

The extensions to the school were approved in November.