In a bomshell revelation, Councillor Jessica Jurd exposed Cessnock City Council’s alleged mishandling of a $10,000 grant awarded to the horror-comedy feature film Site Unseen, filmed in Lovedale and Wollombi. Jurd revealed that the grant had already been distributed, even though it was only set to be voted on at tonight’s council meeting, raising serious concerns about the council’s decision-making process.
Further revelations showed that the funding had been approved during the caretaker period—a time when councils in New South Wales are subject to restrictions to prevent significant or politically sensitive decisions in the lead-up to elections. Under normal circumstances, councils are restricted from entering into major financial commitments during this period. The NSW Office of Local Government mandates that councils should refrain from approving major policy changes, large contracts, or any decisions that would commit an incoming council to financial obligations.
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