REDLAND City Council will keep the Ekka public holiday on Monday, August 10, a decision councillors said would support local businesses.
The decision comes after mixed feedback from voters on council polls, with the majority of voters on Facebook in favour of moving the holiday to Friday, but results on council's website leaning slightly towards leaving the holiday as is.
Redland City mayor Karen Williams said the decision followed a request from the state government to advise by next week if council wanted to change the current public holiday date.
"We had started to ask the community for its feedback by opening a series of polls and engaging businesses from the end of last week," Cr Williams said.
"However yesterday the Minister wrote to council's chief executive officer asking for an answer by next week, which means today would be our last chance to pass a resolution to move our public holiday.
"Given the Minister's request for a response by next week we will halt the engagement and retain the current date."
Cr Peter Mitchell said early consultation had seen mixed opinions.
"Our business community and chambers of commerce ... were (generally) in favour of keeping business as usual, which essentially gives (businesses) the opportunity to (take advantage of) two long weekends for our area, both in line with the Brisbane holiday and our local holiday," he said.
"So stay safe and spend up, everyone."
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Capalaba MP Don Brown called for the public to have their say after the Brisbane holiday was changed from Wednesday to Friday, and said he was surprised council had gone against the results of its own social media poll.
As of Wednesday morning, about 3500 people had cast their vote on Redland City Council's Facebook page, with about 60 per cent wanting the holiday changed from Monday to Friday.
However a slight majority voters on council's website were reportedly in favour of keeping the holiday on Monday.
Mr Brown said many families which had members split between the Redlands and Brisbane would not be able to take advantage of the public holiday.
"People don't end up with two holidays, they end up not doing anything because family members are at work or school," he said.
Cr Paul Bishop said keeping the Redlands and Brisbane holidays separate would reduce overcrowding in some popular spots.
"It reduces the impact of many people all at one time being in public spaces and I think (due to COVID-19) that's an important issue," he said.
Cr Williams said the long weekends could attract more visitors to North Stradbroke Island.
She encouraged residents to support island businesses which had been hit hard by COVID-19 impacts.
"I know a lot of plans have already been made by locals in regards to having the standard Monday public holidays so this gives certainty (to the community)."
Logan City Council has written to the state government asking to change the date from Monday, August 10 to Friday, August 14.
