Community Consultation and a Council change of heart.

So back to things political.........

For Councils November meeting I raised a motion that requested Council make further deliberations on the Local Environment Plan as open to the public forums, meetings etc and also that a summary of all submissions be placed on the web for consideration by the community as part of the ongoing consultation.

The motion was voted down in a hail of verbal bullets basically accusing me of proselytising Green rhetoric.

Actually I was just asking for what the community desires and that is to work with Council to finalise the document while seeking better outcomes, especially since it is the principal planning document for the next ten years or more.

Support for my motion came from Clrs Ward and Fergusson which wasn't totally unexpected but

Mayor Paul Green, Deputy Mayor Andrew Guile clrs Proudfoot, Brumerskyi, Bennett and Watson were are strongly opposed to having community members present as they felt that they would' take our words and release them to the media before any final decision is made'.

I think it's very important to have the community present for if Council is of a mind to change zoning and give 'spot rezonings' then Council should be held accountable and the reasons behind such moves aired in public not locked behind secret doors.

back to Tuesdays meeting.........

Staff put up a report on the Local Environment Plans progress which clearly requested that Council conduct all further deliberations in an open forum AND that no 'spot rezonings' will be allowable without the appropriate community consultation and test for appropriateness- which doesn't mean that nothing will be rezoned, just that it won't be done without a strategic aim that meets expected demand and fits with a growth management strategy.

I'm glad that I didn't hold my breath but I was concerned that the Liberals were going to remove these important parts from the motion.

It seems that a month is a long time in politics and whatever lobbying that has occurred during that period has had some effect for lo and behold the staff recommendation was supported in its entirety and unanimously ...

the cynic in me is burning as to why this sudden change of heart!

but I am prepared to attempt at optimism and think that their support was for their belief in the benefit of community consultation.........

Nah that is just too difficult to believe, and Ill let you the reader arrive at your own opinion as to why the change.

Happy days...we are in for an intense period trying to get through the changes and get them back out on exhibition which will be for the short time of 28 days, but for now at least the community are involved and I feel a sense of elation that good process won through in the end.