Dear Beagle Editor and readers, We note with interest that there is a ground swell from your community who are writing to Council and Councillors regarding a variety of serious matters and receiving little in the way of explanation in return. No doubt at some point the Council will come out and say that they are being overwhelmed by letters and simply don't have the time and staff to respond. Most likely because all of the issues seem quite complex and require a very clear and careful response the burden most likely sits with your senior management to respond as is the case in Bega also. Beagle readers might be interested in our media release on this very issue. the stress of it all …
Word is that Bega valley Shire Council’s (BVSC) senior management is struggling under the weight of inquiries from the Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association (BVSRRA).
For the record, the BVSRRA has forwarded the following written inquiries to BVSC in the past three months, none of which has been dignified with a response:
02.07.2017 - Inquiry re Incubator Support Program
07.07.2017 - Inquiry re 2017 Budget Information
31.07.2017 - Inquiry re Grants information
25.08.2017 - Inquiry re Conference Reports
25.08.2017 - Inquiry re 2017 National General Assembly of Local Government
01.09.2017 - Inquiry re Collector Roads
12.09.2017 - Inquiry re Merimbula Parking
17.09.2017 - Inquiry re Woolworths Merimbula
22.09.2017 - Inquiry re Woolworths Merimbula
The BVSRRA appreciates the daily struggle that BVSC management is forced to endure in dealing with its requests for information, although it can’t be sure what level of management stress is actually occasioned by council ignoring them.
As for those who might think that the volume of the BVSRRA’s inquiries is excessive, it should be noted that BVSC insists that it will only respond to its requests for information if they are put in writing. Of course, that in itself does not mean that BVSC will actually respond to them.
The BVSRRA believes that if BVSC management spent as much time dealing with ratepayer inquiries as it does in churning-out inane & dishonest media releases trumpeting things like fictitious vice-regal awards, life might be a whole lot easier for everyone.
That BVSC is not capable of responding to the BVSRRA’s inquiries within four weeks is testament to its dysfunctional management culture & its contempt for the community it allegedly exists to serve.
John Richardson
Secretary/Treasurer
Bega Valley Shire Residents & Ratepayers Association
