Committees deserve higher backing – Cr Longley

These committees are consulting, liaising, advising, promoting and coordinating groups for the management and development of projects for the benefit of communities.

“The contact staff member should be responsible for following up recommendations as presented in the Section 355 Committee minutes to council,” C Longley maintained.

“The Minutes of Section 355 Committees as presented to council should be adopted rather than noted, and that any recommendations be properly considered in this process, and if council does not accept the recommendation, the committee be advised so in a timely manner.”

Cr Longley said there is a lot of dissatisfaction from the Section 355 Committees regarding lack of clarity for operational procedures for the committees, nil response to Minutes, and who they report to and who their point of contact is.

Cr Paul Miegel said it is very important if council was to have Section 355 Committees, there has to be a proper working relationship with the volunteers by council.

Cr Bronwyn Thomas described the Section 355 Committees as “vital linkages” between community and council. “We’ve put them there in good faith and perhaps we need to get an updated policy,” she said.  

Federation Council’s General Manager Adrian Butler said council has allocated some NCIF (Merger) funds towards resourcing the works required to bring the Section 355 committees’ operations into current legislative and other requirements. 

“This is a significant body of work, and much of it has been completed, however it has been delayed due to staffing structure changes, and a lack of resources,” he said.

“It is agreed that the delays are causing frustration and confusion amongst the committees, and the committees provide enormous volunteer effort and value to council. Now that the management structure has been finalised, the staff are committed to ensuring a concerted effort occurs to complete this project.”