Central Coast‘s Weekly News in a convenient audio & video format. February 2022. This week:
- School returned this week – with joy and angst
- > 28,000 local COVID cases and 16 deaths in January – though is the data complete?
- NSW Government handing over Peat Island to the Darkinjung Land Council – though some are “shocked”
- Council’s Administrator Rik Hart pushed through changes – against local opposition
- The Mariners could be crowned the top[ team this weekend – FFA Football Cup Final
- Shelly Beach surfer Molly Picklum in Hawaii – though the going’s been tough
- Gosford’s Baker Street restaurant to host FFA Cup dinner – Saturday night
Produced by Central Coast Newspapers in Gosford. Presented by David Abrahams . Film and video production by Haakon Barry . —full video archive here—
David Farmer doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of “productivity.” It is defined as “output per employee.” In economic history, productivity generally improved decade upon decade and drives improvements in living standards and wages.
When Council salaries increase 33% in just 3 years as happened between 2017 and 2020 (administrator’s 30 day report) that can only be paid for by productivity or higher prices (rates). Unsurprisingly, the bureaucracy chooses higher rates.
Hart and Farmer boast they have reduced staff numbers back to 2016 levels. But services have been significantly cut (over 50 cuts announced in one council meeting alone last March). So, services cut (lower output) for the same number of employees. Productivity (output per employee) must have fallen. It’s simple maths. Hart and Farmer are engaging in spin.
Hart
Rik Hart . Shonky ! How much are you paying yourself while us rate payers are paying increased fees for council xxxx???? [edited]
Kevin Brooks is spot on in his post. There has been no productivity for 5yrs as I see it. Rik Hart and David Farmer engage in daily spin.Services have been and will be cut more to suit their budget
They are both blackmailing Community Groups by asking them to write letters of Support so they, the Groups will get funded I assume. More to the point they are paying Consultants to do their “work” to apply for certain areas of work within the council. The increased rates are causing hardships among some groups of people and everyone I chat to “we have to pull our horns in” as the rates are exorbitant and within 3 yrs their balance sheet will look abysmal,
I have also written to IPART to ask about this even though their decision has been made, as we the Ratepayers are not happy with Rik xxx.
Also from memory Rik squeezed 3 meetings in one fortnight, just imagine what may have been passed, I will find out as we can watch them online thru youtube. I ask everyone to write to Rik Hart and David Farmer they are working for us. You will find their emails quite often on Kevin Brooks posts . We don’t need to be hearing their spin every 2nd day. Write to this paper which does a great job,