RED bins, green bins, what the heck is council’s new waste disposal program and what is in next year’s operational plan?
All will be discussed at the next meeting of the Residents Action Network on Tuesday 15 April at the Port City Bowling Club from 5.30pm to 7pm.
RAN president Rick Sharp said at least two panel members from the council would attend to speak about the council’s plans and answer questions.
Top of the agenda would be Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s operational plan for 2014/15, which is currently on public exhibition until May 2.
Mr Sharp said three public information sessions about the operational plan were being held by council under its consultation policy.
Mr Sharp said last year’s draft operational plan had not been amended after public comment.
“It all looks and sounds very good, but it is RAN’s belief that this whole process is an elaborate dance to simply tell us what is going to transpire.”
He said RAN representatives attended a Community Reference Group Workshop in the council offices on 25 March, which dealt with both the operational plan as well as the proposed update of its community participation policy.
“One of the questions we hoped to get answered was understanding a line item for an anticipated $3.2 million loss on disposal of assets. In accounting parlance, this means either assets are going to be sold at less than their book value or written off,” Mr Sharp said.
“The question could not be answered and from our perspective we wondered why the meeting was billed as being about the operational plan. It is hoped we will be more successful at next week’s RAN forum, where another council representative will be fielding questions on the plan.”Mr Sharp said one of the discussion points would be rates, which have gone up more than 100 per cent in the past nine years.
“Last year they increased eight per cent and are anticipated to again go up nearly three per cent,” he said.
Mr Sharp said at RAN’s next forum on Tuesday 15 April – in addition to the operational plan – they would be discussing and getting answers on the council’s new waste disposal program and the red and green bins.
He urged residents to attend.
“We can’t really ask people to speak to our group if we don’t have a reasonable roll up, “ Mr Sharp said.
To contact RAN, write to the secretary, Residents Action Network, P.O. Box 337, Port Macquarie, 2444, or email c/o the secretary at, johnn31@bigpond.com
***SIDEBAR ***
RAN FORUM
Tuesday 15 April, Port City Bowling Club, 5.30pm to 7pm.
