Recycled water poll makes Toowoomba Regional Council nervous ...
Seems the 2006 referendum on recycled water may be making the new Toowoomba Regional Council nervous with stories circulating that they won't order lunch without first commissioning a survey of voters' views on the matter.
Excerpt from WIN News:
Council Survey Criticism
11 June 2008
Toowoomba Regional Council is being criticised for a lack of decisive leadership.
Yesterday Mayor Peter Taylor decided to spend $15,000 on a poll asking ratepayers to vote on Sunday trading.
Today council considered outlaying up to $85,000 to poll the public on changing its name.
See - WIN News - Council survey criticism.
From one extreme to the other ...
posted by Concerned Ratepayer at 7:08 AM
4 Comments:
At least the new Toowoomba Regional Council is sensitive to the opinions of the ratepayers.
Perhaps they could include the question of recycled sewerage water - to drink or not to drink - in the questions. The last Council treated the community with contempt so we are better off now.
5:15 PM, June 12, 2008
WIN News:
Council Indecision Response
12 June 2008
Meanwhile Toowoomba Regional Council has hit back at suggestions it's sitting on its hands when it comes to the big issues.
Council this week resolved to spend $15,000 to poll ratepayers views on Sunday trading...the
Deputy Mayor today defending the move.
The council leadership team says they've had to follow a heavily prescribed path as they bring to life the state government's amalgamation blueprint.
7:10 PM, June 12, 2008
The Chronicle
Mayor: We're not avoiding any decisions
June 14, 2008
MAYOR Peter Taylor yesterday came out on the defensive.
The Toowoomba Regional Council, he said, is making decisions every day and it's the system that the public doesn't understand.
"We've been working seven days a week and extremely long hours, as has our staff I might add, to bring together this whole organisation and keep contact with our community.
"We have not been shying away from the day-to-day decisions in the operation of council."
He shuns criticism about planned community surveys on Sunday trading, name changes and boundary changes.
Instead, Cr Taylor said he's honouring an election promise.
"In the beginning, this council said it would consult with the people, it would listen to the people, it wouldn't act in isolation from the community and that's what we are doing," he said.
He sees the appointment of the chief executive officer Philip Spencer and the allocation of portfolios for each councillor as major leaps forward to ensure services continue to run smoothly in a council that hasn't celebrated its 100 days in power yet.
Cr Taylor, who was elected to Jondaryan Shire Council in 1979 and became mayor in 1985, said it was a new era.
"We have delegated to our senior officers more responsibility so the day-to-day decisions be it a pot hole in a road or a building permit they don't come to council any more."
"This council is operating differently and I don't apologise for that because it's not possible to operate with the agendas the previous councils had."
Large agendas, he's adamant, would slow the processes down.
"The council's role is to monitor the staff, through the CEO, to ensure those jobs are carried through.
"So when the public comes to council now, they will see we're dealing with big corporate, strategic decisions," Cr Taylor said.
He added there was no secrecy behind closed doors instead "briefings" so councillors are informed on whole of regional issues.
12:59 PM, June 14, 2008
I would not say that we are better off.
They are not so arogant and so may listen to the people because if they think that there has been a shift in opinion about the use of processed sewage they are dreadfully wrong!!
The coal seam gas water is the answer for us now and they need to put a lid on Mr Flanagan as he is still pedding the same old story.
The coal mines are crying out for the salt stream water.
I am sure with money and the brains in that industry they can think up a solution or maybe they will eventually pump it back where it come from deep down in the earth.
We also need to elect a government who will build dams, you know thoes holes in the ground that hold water!
7:36 AM, June 16, 2008
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