Council have offered that, if residents want livestreaming of Public Forum and Public Access returned, they are urged to complete a short survey.
Now available on Council’s engagement platform https://www.oureurobodalla.esc.nsw.gov.au/ , the survey is anonymous and takes five minutes to complete.
Council say that answers will help preparation of a new draft Code of Meeting Practice, open for community feedback during May.
Currently the online platform Zoom is allowing community members to watch Public Forum and Public Access as an interim measure until a new Code can be endorsed later this year. The mayor, Mat Hatcher, had, from the first day of business, attempted to overturn the draconian closure of Public Forum live streaming, recording and archiving that was put in place by a previous paranoid mayor fearful that speakers might use the fact to either denigrate her leadership or use it as a political platform for their own purpose. The net effect was the collapse of engagement with the community and the disenfranchising and distrust that came as a consequence of that mayor and those who supported the removal. Of the councillors re-elected this term Councillor Rob Pollock was one who had voted for the removal while Councillor Mayne voted against the removal. It will be interesting to see how Clr Pollock votes this time around in the absence of the ex-mayor and another key member of the executive team who has since moved on.
