Community members are pleased the hall will no longer be put on the market, however they are disappointed they will no longer receive annual funding of about $1200.

At the monthly council meeting, the decision to revoke a decision to sell off the hall was on the agenda, after the community indicated the hall was still being used and they wanted it to be retained.

Hall committee member Gary Hayes said with the cancellation of the sale, the hall had been “taken off the endangered list.”

“It’s a big plus for our town,” he said.

“We don’t have many things in the town and if they go taking things away it diminishes the town.”

The hall is used regularly for CFA and angling club meetings, patchwork quilting classes, while Rural Industry Skills Training (RIST) hold 15-20 training days per year at the venue. 

“The uses for the hall are endless,” Mr Hayes said.

“We had a meeting with the council to put our views across as to why it should be kept open. They wanted to close it as there is a new multi-purpose facility at Nirranda, but this hall is good for smaller events, while the Nirranda hall is for bigger things.”

Mr Hayes said he was not impressed the funding would be cut.

“With the use that the hall gets, why cut the funding?,” he asked.

“There are a lot of halls that get used less.”

At the council meeting, councillor Mick Wolfe questioned the funding and moved a motion to remove a section of the recommendation that “the hall operational costs would be maintained with the assistance of an annual contribution from the council”.

Cr Jim Doukas disagreed with Cr Wolfe’s proposal and said it was unfair.

“You can’t compare the Nullawarre and Nirranda facilities,” he said.

“You can’t just cut funding. There are other halls that aren’t getting as much use but still receive funding.” 

The council voted six–one to uphold Cr Wolfe’s amendment and withdraw the annual financial contribution for maintenance. 

The hall committee can still apply for other community grants.