Frustration with Yass Valley Council

Many members of the community have expressed their frustration at trying to get a straight answer out of Yass council. When I say council, I mean the General Manager, some senior managers, the Mayor and some councillors.

I have nothing but respect and a positive working relationship with other council staff.

I sat through last Wednesday's Ordinary Council Meeting in disgust.

Mayor Abbey was asked a simple question from Councillor Frost regarding whether she had made an executive decision under Section 226 on behalf of the council or councillors in relation to the information distributed to the public regarding the proposed rate rise or "special rate variation" as council prefer to call it.

Cr Frost suggested that action by staff to take the proposal to the public went well beyond what was allowed by the motion passed at the December meeting to develop a case and to have another meeting of council in early February. This meant that councillors had no opportunity to formally consider the special rate variation information, before it was distributed to the general public - even though this was the clear intent of the December resolution.

It was a simple question. Either she did or she didn't. The mayor seemed reluctant to answer.

Another councillor re-stated the question. The mayor was unable or unwilling to answer.

A third councillor, a little irate at this stage, also asked the same question -  finally the answer was a forthcoming "yes" she had.

The mayor had made an executive decision that saw the information given to the community, without formal input from our elected councillors.

It took the persistence of three councillors to get to the bottom of a very simple question.

Why do we bother electing our councillors when it appears that they are often not included in the decision-making process and formal decision-making precesses are overlooked?

Council has expressed a wish to 'rebuild relationships" with the community, actions speak louder than words.

Is Yass Valley Council Fit for the Future? Under current management and leadership, I think not.