There is nothing like the arrival of a new boss to focus the attention of management on performance.
Last Friday residents were not only treated to a
BDN front page report on the latest deceitful effort by council to dishonestly abuse some
Numbugga ratepayers, but an editorial condemning council’s behaviour.
As was made clear by the report tabled by council's Directors Assets & Operations, at the heart of council’s strategy to realise its plan was a secret decision taken in closed session back in December, 2017 to
“gift” the bridges to ratepayers, thereby shifting responsibility for their maintenance away from council onto the backs of local ratepayers; a plan that council had not bothered to share with the ratepayers concerned.
In his submission, Mr Chadwick publicly shamed council by observing that “If council, with a $100M budget, can’t afford to repair & maintain the bridges, what chance do I have”, drawing immediate apologies from a number of councillors, led by Cr Fitzpatrick, who made it clear that they had not been fully informed by council officials about the situation. Of course, unsurprisingly, not a peep came from council officials, including the general manager.
Even then old habits die hard, & in its dramatic editorial titled
"Phil's quiet resolve undoes secretive council", the
BDN reverted to its old ways by virtue signalling the behaviour of council by claiming that it was a result of its desperate attempts to cut costs. What arrant nonsense.
If the BDN had pursued even the most basic principles of investigative journalism over the years, it would have been aware of the council’s culture, exemplified by an apparent lack of empathy for the people it allegedly exists to serve, & it would be aware of the numerous ratepayers, including pensioners, who have fallen victim to council’s callous behaviour.
Sadly there have been situations where ratepayers’ health has been damaged & in at least one instance, a ratepayer has reportedly been obliged to sell their home in an effort to escape council’s abuse.
And if the
BDN was the slightest bit interested in holding council to account for its systemic abuses of residents & ratepayers, it would have fashioned itself as a champion of the community & not as a sorry apologist for council, wowing the world with its plastic playgrounds & worthless “
hubs”, while squandering millions of ratepayers’ funds on projects that will deliver little or no material benefit to our community,
like the sink-hole that Merimbula Airport has become or its “
Palace of Dreams”, the
Bega Civic Centre, arguably nothing but a monument to council excess, while depriving most users of the old
Town Hall an affordable alternative.
The fact is that residents & ratepayers have never heard in any of councils budgets or operational plans the magic word “efficiency” mentioned; no mention of any attempt to pursue savings by, God forbid, reducing the salaries of senior staff, with the general manager leading by example, or cutting back on the huge amounts expended on consultancy fees, legal expenses or the development of strategic documents that council happily discards as soon as it’s convenient.
Yes, a wilful act of bastardry perpetrated by council officials while the then elected council, at least half of whom are still councillors, sat idly by without lifting a finger to correct what was a flagrant abuse of power.
If the BDN was genuinely interested in exposing the wicked ways of council, it has had ample opportunity to do so, but hasn’t: any more than has the current elected council now in its third year. We can only hope that under its new ownership this attempt at genuine journalism is a pointer to the BDN’s future
The association is of the view that only an elected council that is determined & competent can bring about the necessary significant cultural reform to the way council operates, in order to properly serve the best interests of residents & ratepayers.
The association is also firmly of the view that such a council will not be elected in the absence of widespread public support & support from the local media, including the BDN.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
