Having attended the LAM3 meeting in Thirroul last night to listen to the WCC Council officers present their discussion paper on community consultation, I have had to reassess my opinion of what was being proposed by WCC to replace the former WCC Neighbourhood Committees and, more recently, Local Area Meetings (LAMS).

My earlier assessment was that the proposed Neighbourhood Forums were Toothless Tigers – and fitting forms of council- community organisation in a city where White Elephants abound.

Perhaps the Wollongong menagerie of weird and fantastic ‘animals’ could be promoted as part of that equally absurdly named project of the “Grand Pacific Drive”.

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“City crumbling around us …” says Wollongong City Council General Manager David Farmer on ABC Radio 97.3FM (7 August 08).

Faced with the need to raise $10 million dollars WCC is looking to ‘natural attrition’ in order to save the salaries on 60 positions. This loss of personnel may have real impacts on the quality of services WCC can deliver to residents and ratepayers. It will also greatly increase the stress levels for remaining staff.

What kind of mismanagement is it that gets us into this kind of position?

The kind that results from obsolete 20^th century forms of organisation, of which Wollongong City Council is a typical example.

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The Ward-based Neighbourhood Forums being proposed by Wollongong City Council are not an appropriate substitute for our elected Councillors. Council has got it back to front.

Instead of having a single Ward-based Neighbourhood Forum to replace the existing Local Area Meetings, we need a fair-dinkum Ward Committee as part of Council’s official organisational structure.

We need a much more heavy duty form of community organisation in order to do our community business during the absence of elected Councillors.

Firstly, it has to be part of the committee structure of Council, not some other form of body lacking any legal corporate reality and lacking any legitimacy in terms of representing the wider constituency of people in the Ward.

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Part of the acid test for assessing the WCC proposals for a new Engagement Framework is to ask:

1. “How does what is being proposed stack up against having elected Ward Councillors?”
2. “Who, exactly, is being empowered by the redirected $600,000 per annum of our money which will not be spent on elected Councillors and a Lord Mayor?”
3. “How does what is being proposed compare with best practice elsewhere?”

My assessment is:

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Wollongong rate rises not out of question: Farmer

BY MICHELLE HOCTOR, Illawarra Mercury. 30/07/2008 4:00:00 AM

Rate rises of 80 to 200 per cent over the next 10 years are “alarmist” but not out of the question, according to Wollongong City Council general manager David Farmer.

Mr Farmer said he would be “surprised” if such increases occurred, but the outcome would be dependent on a national response to the underfunding of local government, and the council’s own efforts to cut costs.

A report released yesterday into the financial status of NSW councils listed Wollongong and Kiama councils as financially unsustainable and in need of drastic action to repair a growing backlog of dilapidated infrastructure such as roads and public buildings.

Releasing his statewide study of NSW councils, Professor Percy Allan said the two councils were among 35 that needed to increase their rates, fees and charges by 80 to 200 per cent “or be forced to severely cut their services if they are to restore their finances and infrastructure to prudent and responsible levels”.

full story url:
http://illawarra.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/wollongong-rate-rises-not-out-of-question-farmer/1229670.aspx

Don’t be mislead by the bells and whistles trappings of untested electronic innovations and more community forums, the WCC Community Consultation Discussion Paper (July 2008) does not address our real needs for representation in Council’s decision-making process.

The W.C.C. community consultation concept design now on display is fundamentally flawed at it’s core.

The thinking the Discussion Paper contains is not acceptable, nor are the one-sided terms under which this whole “community conversation” is taking place. It does not place a high enough value on our democratic rights for an alternative means of representation in the absence of elected Councillors.

What follows presumes you have read the WCC Discussion Paper.

Feedback and discussion encouraged by way of Comments or email to brucer@reformwcc.info

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WCC MEDIA RELEASE -  WEDNESDAY, 23 JULY 2008

“COMMUNITY ASKED HOW THEY WANT TO HAVE THEIR SAY”

“The community can have their say on a range of new opportunities Wollongong City Council is considering to improve the way Council consults with the community.
Administrators tonight agreed to publicly exhibit a Community Consultation Discussion Paper between Monday, 28 July and Friday, 22 August, to generate discussion and gain valuable feedback from the community before Council drafts a new Community Consultation Policy.
The Discussion Paper asks the community to consider a range of new consultation options including Neighbourhood Forums supported by Council and new Community Leaders Meetings with Administrators.
The community can also have their say on proposed opportunities such as Community Forums for specific projects, electronic communication tools, kiosks, and the recently endorsed Independent Hearing Assessment Panels as a way to consult on major developments in the city.

Administrator, Robert McGregor AM, said it was important to remember that Council is here to serve the community and be responsive to the community’s needs by listening to their input.
“Residents have a right to have their say about how Council carries out its functions, and this Discussion Paper allows the whole community to share their views on how they would like to do this,” Mr McGregor said.

“Council is committed to having ongoing conversations with the community through a variety of opportunities, but before we implement any of these new consultation options, we want to encourage the community to tell us what they think of them.”

Following public exhibition of the Discussion Paper, Council will rely on the community’s involvement to draft a new Community Consultation Policy to be presented at the September Council Meeting.

To view the Community Consultation Discussion Paper, visit Council’s website at www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au from Monday, 28 July, call 4227 7096 or email consultation@wollongong.nsw.gov.au ”

Council’s spin/media release ends

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(And watch this space for a review of the ‘discussion paper’ to find out why IT’S A REAL STINKER! reformwcc.info)

WCC Community Consultation Discussion Paper

July 2008.

What follows is only an extract from a range of other aspects of community consultation. For full report and attachment for Agenda Item 2 for WCC Council Meeting of 23 July 2008 see

http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/council/papers.asp

Neighbourhood Forums (NF)

The Neighbourhood Forums will replace the Local Area Meetings which have currently been operating. It is proposed that there will be six Neighbourhood Forums based on the boundaries of the current Wards of the Council. It is proposed that the meeting will be convened (but not controlled) by a senior Council Officer. It is proposed that the agenda will be set by the community at the beginning of each meeting, they will be chaired by a community representative and they will be provided with administrative support by Council. A Charter will be developed to ensure appropriate code of conduct by participants and this will be monitored by Council.

One person will represent each Neighbourhood Forum as a community leader at the Community Leaders Meetings with the Council Administrators

What will happen next?

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SMH website:
NSW govt sacks south coast council

July 9, 2008 - 6:30PM
To view the entire article, click on: http://news.smh.com.au/national/nsw-govt-sacks-south-coast-council-20080709-3ceu.html

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Minister for Illawarra David Campbell replies to some questions in connection with what action he will be taking, as the NSW Minister responsible for the Illawarra, in light of the unprecedented situation resulting from the lack of democratically elected representatives at Wollongong City Council.

Click on link below  for pdf file - read his own words, draw your own conclusions:

Letter from Minister for Illawarra Hon David Campbell

Is David Campbell, as Minister for the Illawarra, working hard to protect the democractic interests of residents of Wollongong or a passive captive of the NSW ALP?

Can we encourage him to do more?

Analysis, feedback, comment welcome - send to brucer@reformwcc.info if you are not registered to leave comments etc.