On 5 February, DCSCA committee members met Councillor Rod Macdonald at Geelong City Hall. This was the first of a series of quarterly meetings that DCSCA has initiated with the two Councillors whose wards coincide with DCSCA's area - the other is Councillor John Doull, whom we met on 18 January. (See ' DCSCA meets Cllr. John Doull', Tuesday, January 19, 2010 on this blog.)
This was a positive and productive meeting. First, we told Cllr. Macdonald of people's dissatisfaction with the Council's public communication and consultation processes around, for example, the Drysdale & Clifton Springs Structure Plan, the Council's proposals to revamp Drysdale town centre and Amendments C194 and C103 to the Greater Geelong Planning Scheme that the Council is proposing currently; and we said that these concerns were shared by other community associations on the Bellarine. Cllr. Macdonald ('RM') responded as follows:
• CoGG communication and consultation processes. RM will send DCSCA a copy of CoGG's policy.
• The D/CS Structure Plan. RM described this as 'informal' consultation - 'a way to put a position that can then be debated'. Thus, not every ensuing proposal will reflect it exactly; and not every view received will be reflected in it.
• The Drysdale town centre proposals. RM will talk to Mr. Paul Jamieson (CoGG's Manger, Community Development) about DCSCA's letter to him, the proposals it contains and the lack of a reply.
• Amendments C194 and C103. RM said that he has asked Council officers to examine particular aspects, including the flood risk in Springs Street.
Next, we discussed arrangements for local participation in Clean Up Australia Day and Cllr. Macdonald advised us who to contact regarding signage for the day.
Finally, we brought Cllr. Macdonald up to date with preparations for the Drysadale Festival of Glass and he suggested some people within CoGG who might be able to help and advise us.
Our next quarterly meeting with Cllr. Macdonald: 7 May at 10.00 a.m. at City Hall. Among the agenda items will be DCSCA's proposals about improving the Council's communication and consultation policies. We have sent these to Cllrs. Doull and Macdonald, as well as to all the community associations represented in the Affiliation of Belarine Community Associations (ABCA).
Would you like us to discuss any issues with Cllr. Macdonald at that meeting? If so, please leave a comment below or e-mail DCSCA: dryclift@bigpond.com
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