On the front page of Issue 199 of Community Coast News (16/1/2019), our mayor at the time, Councillor Smith, linked the negligent enforcement of local planning controls with problems identified by the ICAC.
Nevertheless, in issue after issue as seen in our local papers, and agenda after agenda in Council minutes, we see increasingly grandiose proposals for developments at the behest of a cabal of developers.
In many cases, these are plans for accommodation which few can afford, and business outlets where there is little demand.
Whilst many parts of the Coast are suffering an economic downturn, planners in Council are expending inordinate amounts of energy trying to sprout alternate commercial town centres, high-density housing and even a theme park.
Instead of reading about councillors and the staff combing through compliance matters, planning controls, waste disposal and environmental issues for the benefit of the community, we hear of undeclared conflicts of interest.
Everyone knows the planning cost for even a simple home renovation starts with a four or five figure sum.
So how many six and seven figure sums has council expended on greasing these lavish schemes for developers?
How many, if any of these ambitious schemes have actually materialised, and for the benefit of the community?
It would have been better value-for-money to have banked $89M at near zero interest than to have indulged to the whims of a vocal few.
Email, Oct 26
T. Chu, Palmdale