"COUNCIL should adopt the recommendations of its own study into a proposed trail network on the Bellarine Peninsula to prevent “dangerous” conditions for riders, according to a peak riding body.
Pony Club Association Victoria president Jan Faulkner was “thrilled” that council’s study recommended designated “horse-friendly” roads, improved signage, a code of conduct for riders and development of off-road trails.
She called on councillors to act on the study, which went before council last week.
“I'’m not sure why they haven’t decided yet whether or not to follow the recommendations because I would think it would only be natural to accept them..."
What is interesting to note in the article is
"A council spokesperson said councillor John Doull thought that “at this stage the public on the Bellarine should be allowed to absorb the contents of the horse trails study and make their opinions known through the appropriate channels”."
Reading between the lines, I don't really think Geelong Council wants to act on this study at all - I hope I am wrong.
Hi Cheryl
ReplyDeleteCouncillor Doull calls on people to'make their opinions known through the appropriate channels', but he knows that the Council's consultation procedures have actively prevented some citizens expressing their views and haven't responded to them appropriately (if at all!).
How does he know this? Because the Affiliation of Bellarine Community Associations (ABCA) - representing all the community association on the Bellarine - has told him (and other Councillors) that the present 'appropriate channels' aren't working. The problem is that the council has no benchmarks of good-quality consultation and no audits through which to discover whether any particular consultation exercise has met those benchmarks. The result is that no-one in the council knows whether its 'appropriate channels' are working or not. Nonetheless, Councillor Doull recommends their use.
ABCA has submitted to the Council a draft of a new consultation policy that improves the current flawed policy by making it open and democratic. The council is conducting a review of its own consultation policy but, as its review is 'internal', the public won't hear about it! Ah, the irony!