 |
| Upper Hunter sunset |
MEDIA RELEASE
Greens councillor Sue Abbott is calling out Upper Hunter Shire Council’s recent move at ending most of its community committees.
“At the beginning of this new council term, council resolved to get rid of its former community committees and to replace them with three new district committees, which are yet to meet,” said Sue Abbott.
“That means the old library, community services, heritage, and sustainability committees along with many others have all been axed. The business of those former committees is now to be subsumed into councils’ new district committee structure and its renamed standing committees.”
“In my opinion it is very disappointing that the old community committees have gone, and that the new district committees have not even met yet despite the fact that council is going through its community strategic planning process right now.”
“The ‘closing-down-of-community-committees’ is a gagging of the community’s voice, and that translates into a general dumbing-down of Local Government.”
“There used to be a broad amount of participation from the local community in council’s affairs, but with the insidious corporatisation of councils across the board, community voices are being silenced.”
Sue Abbott is available for interview. Phone: 0418 237 021
