MEMBERS of a combined community group formed in 2006 to defeat controversial plans for a huge marina at Chinderah have met again to shoot down council claims that Councillor Katie Milne still owes $351 in council fees stemming from the battle.

Last month it was revealed the council’s general manager Mike Rayner had decided not to pursue legal action against Cr Milne for the $351 bill.

It related to council costs in providing documents for the first subpoena sought in the legal battle against the marina, which attracted community support.

Cr Milne, who three years later was elected to the council partly on the public profile she gained in her successful fight, refused to pay the bill which the council says is still outstanding even though it will not pursue it.

However, spokesman for the Combined Community Groups Rod Bates said all Cr Milne’s debts from the battle were paid and the reports on the council claim have cast doubt on his members who publicly raised funds.

The organisation represents 26 groups, ranging from resident organisations, canegrowers and businesses who joined together against the 115-berth marina proposal, which they feared could worsen flooding in the Tweed River.

They held barbecues, art auctions and other fund-rasing events to financially support the legal battle spearheaded by Cr Milne.

“We collectively feel that our integrity has been questioned or besmirched by recent articles,” the group said in a joint statement.

“The group raised funds which paid the costs Ms Milne incurred in taking the action in the Land and Environment court.

“These costs include the cost of $800 that Judge Jagott ordered Ms Milne to pay. She set this amount as the maximum allowable.”

Correspondence and verbal leaks to the Tweed Daily News indicate the $351 debt relates to an initial subpoena Cr Milne took out while the court’s costs order related specifically to two subsequent subpoenas after insufficient information was gained by the first.

The chairwoman of the combined group, Felicia Cecil, yesterday said Cr Milne had saved the council money by taking up the legal fight against the marina, which the then council administrators Max Boyd, Garry Payne and Lucy Turnbull had refused to do.

A council spokesperson said: “We acknowledge that the combined community groups paid that debt as required by the court.

“The debt that is currently in dispute is not that debt and was not a matter that has ever been determined by a court.”