NEWCASTLE council general manager Ken Gouldthorp has revealed he and former lord mayor Jeff McCloy had been working behind the scenes to secure a better deal for ratepayers on the proposed fourth coal terminal for Newcastle.
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In July, NSW Department of Planning recommended the Port Waratah Coal Services pay just $528,140 section 94(A) developer contributions for the $4.8 billion coal loader plan.
This is a far cry from the 1 per cent (or $48 million) the council would seek if the plan was being considered by the council.
At Tuesday night’s council meeting Labor councillors sought to have an urgent meeting with council officers about the council’s negotiations with Port Waratah over the money.
However, Mr Gouldthorp revealed negotiations started weeks ago with Port Waratah CEO Hennie du Plooy - before Mr McCloy resigned as lord mayor and gave evidence at the recent Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings into illegal political donations.
Mr Gouldthorp said Port Waratah had offered a new amount but would not reveal the value.
He said the council had also gone back to Port Waratah with a counter-offer and it was now considering it.
Greens councillor Michael Osborne said he did not want the coal loader to proceed, but if the council accepted anything less than $48 million then it was ‘‘an absolute rip-off’’.
Port Waratah still needs clearance from the Planning Assessment Commission to proceed with the fourth coal loader.
