DCRI requested assistance from Donnybrook-Balingup Shire Council in finding premises.

However, they were advised after last week’s ordinary meeting council was not in a position to provide a building or room for training, equipment, recording and meetings in the short term.

Council’s community development officers will however continue to work with the DCR in setting up their community radio in the Donnybrook-Balingup Shire.

DCRI needs suitable premises, buildings or rooms for training, equipment, recording and meetings in the short term to get the community radio project going.

In the longer term the DCRI will be looking for a building for use as a station headquarters and studio as well as the need for a transmitter site with good coverage of the immediate locality.

The DCRI committee is looking at funding options from various organisations such as Lottery West and the Community Broadcasting Foundation as well as meeting the criteria for an application to the Australian Communication and Media Authority with regards to obtaining a temporary broadcaster licence.

The DCRI is initially concentrating on the Donnybrook area to get up and running, however has a longer-term vision to cover a wider area of the shire.

Council minutes said while there did not appear to be any available buildings currently unused that would be suitable, with some expenditure an area on the mezzanine level at the Donnybrook Recreation Centre could be closed and sound-proofed and would have the advantage that if a tower was required it was in a reasonably elevated position.

If this was suitable security at the recreation centre would have to be reviewed.

However, there were no allocated funds in this year’s budget for structural change.

The minutes also noted the Country Women’s Association building did not have high usage and there was one room on the western side that may be suitable for use in the short term.