As a result, he will no longer serve on the Destination Coffs Coast, Audit, Risk and Improvement, and City Centre Masterplan committees.

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In stepping down from Council, Mr Pryce noted his high level of respect for the City of Coffs Harbour staff members and what they do for the community.

“During my time as a councillor, I have appreciated the expertise and care they have given in their roles,” Mr Pryce told News Of The Area.

“Right now, it is my opinion that the Coffs Harbour Local Government Area is facing many challenges.”

He cited law and order and safety concerns, housing availability, cost-of-living pressures, ongoing maintenance of existing assets and investment infrastructure, to name but a few.

“This is the area of focus, in my opinion, that we should be ensuring is front and centre in our minds, as councillors,” he said.

However, he believes it is the Jetty Foreshores revitalisation that has dominated the focus of this current term of Council.

“Council has a resolution to advise the owners of the Foreshores land, being the State Government, of its intention to compulsorily acquire the land.

“In addition, the Council has produced its own draft plan of a proposed redevelopment of the Foreshores.”

Mr Pryce said it had become impossible for him to maintain his presence on Council.

“On the one hand, significant investment in infrastructure is suspended due to the inability to deliver outcomes, for instance, swimming pools, then resolutions are passed to either investigate, or to commit, tens of millions of dollars to a single focus investment: unplanned, unbudgeted, and not costed.”

When he stood for Council election in 2021, Mr Pryce said his intention was to represent the families who lived within the Coffs LGA, ratepayers and tenants paying rents alike.

“Not those who had made it in life, but those who know what struggle really is, who in my own opinion would maybe benefit from having a councillor on board, who knows how the struggle is real, who has raised kids locally and who has local origins in the rental market and the mortgage belt.

“Under the current councillor leadership environment, I am unable to do this,” he said.

“The 2022/2023 capital expenses budget saw Council defer $53.45m and remove $1.76m from its projected capital program of $163 million, to a revised capital program of $111.23m.

“The primary outcome of this process was a host of capital works being suspended, due to this amount being outside of the ability of the Coffs City Council to deliver.

“The 2023/2024 capital expenses Budget was set at $73 million due to the level of Council income.

“At the end March 2024, with 75 percent of the financial year gone, the amount expended was $33 million, suggesting that the budgeted $73 million spend would fall way short, with the budget readjusted throughout the year to compensate for this shortfall,” he said.

Looking ahead to the Council elections in September 2024, Mr Pryce hopes the new Council will reflect the vision of a predominantly new, younger Council focussed on a city built for future generations.

2024 NSW Local Government elections are being held on Saturday, 14 September 2024.

“Make sure your vote counts at the upcoming Council elections, this September,” he said.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, City of Coffs Harbour announced Mr Pryce’s departure as a councillor, thanking him for his contribution during his term.

Council is expected to address the question of whether or not to hold a by-election at its next meeting on 13 June.

By Andrea FERRARI