Council needs the courage to change

This has occurred despite predictions before ERC was established with a merger of Deniliquin Council and Conargo Shire Council that payroll costs would decline with a joint entity.

In reality, a $7.45 million combined ‘employee costs’ from Deniliquin and Conargo has ballooned out to nearly $12 million this year.

When the Pastoral Times asked legitimate questions about the blow-out and reasons for it – which is also of extreme concern for some councillors – we were given the usual brush-off.

So, we are left with the official (inadequate) council line after we sent some questions to CEO Phil Stone that “council sets its strategic direction in consultation with the community”, that “councillors are an integral part of the (budget) process” and “council adopted the 2023-24 operational plan and budget in June 2023”.

We think we can be forgiven for stating this hardly answered questions around why the council payroll has jumped from $7.45 million to nearly $12 million, after government estimates suggested it would decrease, and that ultimately the ratepayers must foot the bill.

However, it is not unexpected from a council leadership that refuses to effectively engage with the public. This is unhealthy and needs to change.

Edward River Council has made decisions over the past 12 months that are questionable, at best.

This is exacerbated by a refusal to effectively engage with the community. Our council has also continually struggled to understand the basics of democracy and the right for individuals, both councillors and ratepayers, to have an opposing point of view.

There is a greater propensity to deride and even intimidate those who ask legitimate questions, rather than respecting their input.

Genuine advice can be provided on what may be a better course of action, but from our observations it is too often ignored.

And so, through what some consider belligerence, we have a council that is now at the crossroads.

At the same time as it was advised to increase rates by as much as 42 per cent, the council is allowing its administration to grow the local bureaucracy at alarming levels. When questioned, we’re merely told the councillors “adopted the 2023-24 operational plan and budget”.

This is not a reasonable answer, and surely even Mayor Peta Betts and those councillors who have been so loyal to her can accept that.

Our community deserves a council that is more transparent, with respect for various opinions. Treating with contempt those who question decisions or promote an alternative path is not the way forward.

The great shame is that a fresh approach with transparency, respect and effective communication could be easily achieved, either with a renewed commitment from council leaders or at the insistence of those councillors who hold the majority vote.

Let us not continue accepting the ways of 2023 and early 2024; instead the community wants to see the courage to enforce changed attitudes.

If this does not happen, there are rumblings around calling for intervention from the Minister for Local Government. We hope it doesn’t come to that.