The association has made a submission to Bega Valley Shire Council (BVSC) containing a number of recommendations for amendments to the draft Code of Meeting Practice currently on Public Exhibition.
In particular the association has recommended that:
1. Council adopt a firm timeline in respect of making the Agenda & Business Papers for Ordinary Meetings of Council available to residents & ratepayers (Clauses 3.23 & 3.25);
2. residents & ratepayers be permitted to attend Council Pre-Meeting Briefing Sessions on the same basis as Ordinary Meetings of Council (Clause 3.33);
3. the proposed arrangements for
Public Forums, including those pertaining to public deputations to
Council &
Councillors relating to items on the agenda of the relevant meeting, as outlined in the
draft Code of Meeting Practice (
Clause 4), be rejected by
Councillors & the existing provisions dealing with those matters in the
current Code of Meeting Practice (
Clauses 31 &
33) be incorporated in the new
Code.
The association believes that it is important to acknowledge that the source of many of the proposed changes, including the adoption of Clause 4, emanated from the Office of Local Government (OLG) & not council. Nevertheless, those recommended changes have been incorporated in the draft supported by Council.
The association is particularly concerned about the very negative impact it believes will flow from the adoption Clause 4 in the proposed new Code, in particular as it believes it will directly reduce the democratic features & qualities of our system of local government by undermining the authority of the elected council, bestowing unreasonable power on council’s general manager or delegate, as well as acting to inhibit awareness of community issues & stifle community participation & public debate on such issues.
Quite apart from that, the association also believes that the process detailed by Council to give effect to the requirements of Clause 4 is simply unworkable.
The association believes that this is a vitally important issue for the entire community & that those residents & ratepayers who believe that it is important to retain the current limited mechanisms available to have their views heard by
Council & the elected
Councillors should speak-up & use council’s "
Have Your Say Page" to oppose the adoption of
Clause 4 in the
new Code of Meeting Practice.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
Tel: 0264945669
Email: secretary@begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au
Website: http://www.begavalleyshireratepayers.asn.au