Central Coast Council will draw up a new process for developing its strategies and policies after Deputy Mayor, Jane Smith, successfully argued the current processes were inconsistent and unclear.
She thought that in some instances, this undermined them and created a lack of confidence in key documents.
She said that in the past two years, Council had developed or was in the process of developing a number of significant strategies including an affordable housing strategy; a tourism opportunity plan; an economic development strategy and a biodiversity strategy.
She said the approach across the organisation had been inconsistent, including establishing underlying principles, the processes around consulting stakeholders and the broader community; transparency and accountability of the process and the role of councillors.
“This motion aims to ensure that there is an agreed process around key strategies that is transparent and accountable,” Cr Smith said.
“Central Coast Council is the third largest council in NSW and sixth largest in Australia by population.
“In some instances, depending on the significance of the strategy or policy in terms of its intended outcome and reach, it may be appropriate or beneficial to establish a committee process similar to that for the NSW Government or the Australian Government.”
Cr Kyle MacGregor said staff had done an incredible amount of work when hundreds of documents from the previous councils were being integrated into the new amalgamated council and it would take years to get the process done.
He said some policies were based on best practice and some might have slid through after a workshop that 10 people might have attended.
This new policy would improve and streamline the core business of council, he said.
Cr Troy Marquart was the only councillor to oppose the motion but he did not debate the matter.
Source:
Meeting, Feb 12
Agenda item 7.7
Central Coast Council
Reporter: Merilyn Vale