Posted by reformwcc on January 31, 2009
IACD / CD QLD Conference 2009
17th to 20th June 2009
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
A Conference Hosted Jointly by:
The International Association for Community Development & CD Queensland
“About the Conference
We invite you to be part of this conference with a difference – a think, talk and do conference focused on how we can build strong, creative and sustainable local economies into the future.
http://www.cdconference.com.au/index.php?content=2
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Posted by reformwcc on January 31, 2009
From Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) website:
“Written by Barry O’Farrell MP
Friday, 30 January 2009
NSW Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell today met with NSW Local Government Association Executive Member Cr Gareth Ward and announced Liberal Councillors will be moving to establish a committee of the NSW Local Government Association to fight for elections for Wollongong and Shellharbour Councils.
“Labor has failed the residents of Wollongong and Shellharbour Local Government Areas,” said Mr O’Farrell.
“The actions of a number of members of the Labor Party have resulted in the people of the Illawarra being robbed of their democratic right to elect local council representatives.
“The Liberal Party is a strong advocate of responsible, transparent and accountable local government and central to this is the fundamental right of residents to elect local councillors.
“Regrettably circumstances do arise where an administrator is needed to run a Council, but a key objective should be the earliest possible return to an elected council.
“That is why Liberal Councillors will be moving to establish a committee of the NSW Local Government Association to fight for elections for Wollongong and Shellharbour Councils.
“Local residents should have an opportunity to hold Labor to account and exercise their democratic rights no later than September 2009.
“Unfortunately Labor has a track record of denying residents their democratic rights – residents of Warringah, Liverpool, Tweed and Broken Hill Council have all suffered a loss of local decision making for periods of up to five years.
“Labor has failed the Illawarra’s residents and the community is ready to send Matt Brown, Paul McLeay, David Campbell, Noreen Hay and Lylea McMahon a strong message at the next election,” Mr O’Farrell said.”
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Posted by reformwcc on January 23, 2009
Ordinary Meeting of Council, 28 October 2008, says:
ITEM 12 Review of Community Consultation Framework Policy and Options
(CM175/08).
The draft Neighbourhood Forum Charter (Attachment 2) proposes a set of governing principles for new Neighbourhood Forums. Eight Neighbourhood Forums have been proposed after consideration of geographic and community boundaries as well as population densities. The number of Neighbourhood Forums is consistent with feedback from the community that stated that more than 6 groups were needed to service the local government area. Council officers will work closely with existing Local Area Meeting members and convenors and in areas where a Neighbourhood Forum does not exist before February 2009, to ensure smooth implementation of Neighbourhood Forums.
And so …
—–Original Message—–
From: brucer@reformwcc.info [mailto:brucer@reformwcc.info]
Sent: Thursday, 22 January 2009 11:57
To: Consultation
Cc: Records
Subject: Where are the Neighbourhood Forums?
Hi WCC Consultation,
Council documents say:
“Finding a Neighbourhood Forum
Community members can find their local Neighbourhood Forum through the
following methods:
- Log on to Council?s website www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au A list of contact details for all Neighbourhood Forums will be available in the
Have your say section.”
I can’t find a word about them and they were due to start in early 2009.
Please advise
cheers
Bruce
—————————————-
REPLY from WCC
Sent: Thursday, 22 January 2009 2:27 PM
To: brucer@reformwcc.info
Subject: RE: Where are the Neighbourhood Forums?
There are currently 6 Local Area Meetings operating in the Wollongong LGA. These groups are being invited to become Neighbourhood Forums. As such the LAM details are still listed on our website. This will be updated as Neighbourhood Forums register with us and the new protocols come into effect.
Thank you for your enquiry.
Jodie Healy
Acting Engagement Coordinator
Wollongong City Council
Phone 4227 7096
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Posted by reformwcc on January 20, 2009
Apparently it is not a problem that the people of Wollongong have no elected Councillors to represent them during the period of the WCC Social Plan 2007-20011.
We will not regain this crucial part of community engagement until late September 2012.
See WCC Social Plan
2.9 Community Engagement and Participation
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Posted by reformwcc on January 17, 2009
“Wollongong council facing financial deficit
BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU Illawarra Mercury
17/01/2009
Wollongong City Council’s financial position has nose-dived, with figures showing an expected $6.6 million surplus this year dissolving into a $4.6 million deficit.
The council’s finances have been in a tailspin since new accounting standards were introduced, which create a clearer picture of the region’s infrastructure crisis.
The nationwide accounting standards have forced the council to revalue its roads, parks and footpaths, among other infrastructure, not on the original construction cost but on the construction cost at today’s prices.
The new guidelines paint a more realistic picture of the council’s financial position but makes for sobering reading.
By 2011-12, the forecast $8.6 million surplus will become an estimated $13.2 million deficit.
In the 2010-11 year, the estimated $6.7 million surplus will have dropped to a $15.1 million deficit.”
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Posted by reformwcc on January 15, 2009
“Community survey blasts Wollongong council
BY MARIO CHRISTODOULOU Illawarra Mercury 15/01/2009
Wollongong City Council has taken a battering in a community satisfaction survey, which found only one in five residents are satisfied with the organisation’s performance.
Conducted in the wake of the February-March 2008 corruption hearings, the survey found only 21.8 per cent of residents were highly satisfied with the council’s performance, compared to the NSW average of 50.2 per cent.
On the flip side, 44 per cent of residents expressed “low satisfaction” with the council, a score well above the 14.7 per cent state average.
The result was described as “considerably lower when compared to similar sized and resourced councils surveyed by the Illawarra Regional Information Service throughout NSW” in the report.”
and check out IRIS – who invite people to join their research panel – at
http://www.iris.org.au/
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