Consultation the name of the game, says MayorMayor invites establishment of additional township associations in municipality. By Latrobe City Council - 20th February 2001 - Back to News Latrobe City Mayor, Councillor Tony Hanning, has invited the establishment of additional township associations in the municipality.
Cr Hanning said that Council believed that such associations brought together the ideas and energies of community members aimed at improving the towns, both physically and in terms of services.
“Township associations are extremely important to the life of our community. At present, there are township associations in most of our small and large towns, made up of community members interested in the development and preservation of their towns. Examples include the Yallourn North Action Group, the Yinnar Community Association, the Moe Development Group, the Tyers Community Association, the Churchill District and Citizens Association and Advance Morwell,” Councillor Hanning said.
“Council welcomes input from township associations and individual Councillors work closely with these associations in their wards. We will welcome the establishment of township associations in areas where as yet they don’t exist,” Cr Hanning said.
“Community involvement and participation is the backbone of local government and Council relies on community input for advice, feedback and support. Consultation is the name of the game,” Cr Hanning added.
“Latrobe City Council seeks community views and advice through a variety of consultative mechanisms. These range from feedback from individuals, to community surveys on service delivery and organised consultation processes.
“Surveys have included, for example, the comprehensive survey conducted regarding the parking meters in Traralgon. In that case, Council employed independent Gippsland Regional Information Service to conduct an independent survey of shoppers and businesses’ attitudes to parking meters. The feedback gained from that consultation was pivotal in Council’s decision-making on parking meters in Traralgon,” Councillor Hanning said.
“Council consults on works which will affect local neighbourhoods, for example the replacement of street trees, through neighbourhood meetings,” Councillor Hanning added.
“The other principal means of consultation is through community advisory committees and taskforces. Rather than set up standing committees, which meet just for the sake of meeting, Council has established advisory bodies and taskforces on particular issues of major importance, to gain highly valued community input on policies and strategies. Examples of such bodies include the Community Safety Advisory Committee, the Morwell CBD Revitalisation Taskforce, the Youth Council and the recently established Sister City Advisory Committee,” Cr Hanning said.
“Council is totally committed to working with the community on all aspects of Council’s responsibilities. Council has identified a number of valuable means of making consultation meaningful and productive. We urge community members to become part of these organisations, which can make a difference. However we also welcome individual feedback from community members if that is what is preferred,” Councillor Hanning concluded.
Media Enquiries:
Cr. Tony Hanning, Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 373 577
Cr. Brendan Jenkins, Deputy Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 374 590
Ms. Penny Holloway, Chief Executive Officer,
tel. 5173 1401 or 0417 557 103
Jeremy Bein, Public Relations and Communications Officer,
tel. 5173 1468
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: latrobecity@gippslander.com

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