Berrigan Council gives all-clear to redevelopment plans for Finley's School of Arts building and War Memorial Hall

The move came after two years of debate about the site’s fate that included opposition to proposals from Save the Finley War Memorial Association.

Finley builder Dean Russell made a final appeal to councillors before Wednesday’s vote, arguing the preferred option “only provides a very small but expensive advantage to two small groups and significant and unnecessary disadvantage to others”.

The secretary of the Finley halls committee Jan Gray said toilet and kitchen upgrades were first sought in 2001-02 with a visitor to the town having torn her dress on a nail while at a ball.

Past mayor and councillor John Bruce moved the motion for the plan which will result in a foyer and annex between the halls being demolished, toilets rejigged and a kitchen altered.

“Termite damage is everywhere and the complex needs to be refurbished, there’s no doubt about that,” Cr Bruce said.

He labelled objectors’ concerns about ‘who can walk to a toilet where’ a “fairly immature debate”.

No other councillors spoke on the issue before the vote.

Those against the plan were two of the three Finley-based councillors, John Taylor and Daryll Morris, with the other one, mayor Matt Hannan, in the majority.

Speaking later in the meeting, Cr Bruce said he hoped the decision would “take the emotion out of” the matter.

“I would just hope that the debate around the hall ceases,” he said.

“I think everyone has got what they want, there’s been discussions going on that haven’t been good.

“(Council) staff have been put under unnecessary pressure.” 

Mr Russell was left disappointed.

“I’m flabbergasted that council took this decision on the evidence provided – they’ve given all the submissions no honour whatsoever,” he said.

Tenders need to be processed before work occurs at the halls and it is expected to be a year until any renovations commence.