Romano remains deputy for the moment after vote deferred

Orange City Council voted not to hold the ballot due to the absence of three councillors - Glenn Taylor was sick, nominee Jeff Whitton was attending to a sick family member and Jason Hamling needed to attend professional training in Sydney.

Two attempts to defer contentious proposals failed, with both the Housing Plus development on Lantana Place and a childcare centre on Turner Crescent approved.

Orange City Council hosted a full gallery of concerned residents.

Residents opposed to Lantana Place voiced concerns about garbage collections and the ability to sell their properties since the proposal was put forward.

However, councillors deemed the development was a multi-dwelling housing proposal like any other and voted it through.

Residents concerned about the childcare centre again raised traffic concerns, but staff confirmed alternative access from Molong Road or the Northern Distributor Road was not possible because NSW Roads and Maritime Services and councillors questioned what a deferral would achieve.

Both applications could be debated again regardless, with councillor Kevin Duffy signalling his intention to lodge rescission motions to reverse the approvals.

A motion from councillor Stephen Nugent to support a climate strike at Robertson Park was voted down in spectacular fashion, with other councillors labelling the idea "hot air" and even "dangerous".

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