WITH Covid, spiralling debt, climate change, and the China issue; interesting times is an understatement.

But locally D Day is 4 December, when the residents of this shire will vote to elect a new council.

Hopefully we elect a group representing a cross section of the community.

A group who are non-political, possess some real life experience, local knowledge, practicality, and will listen to and pursue the interests of all sectors.

The lopsided bureaucratic rot engulfing our beautiful shire must be addressed.

They must be strong and not become mere rubber stamps for their administrative employees, yes their employees, who are there to advise and administrate, but not dictate policy.

Our elected reps have the final say on all matters.

Once an open shop, it is now closed with employees forbidden to discuss any council matters out of school.

My memory is slipping but I can still recall a Council which achieved so much with so little, with just a handful in admin, and a proud and skilled outdoor staff.

Even Waterfall Way was maintained and serviced by Council.

No contractors, everything was done from within.

There is no better example than the Valley Rose Estate.

Council purchased the farm and did the whole development, even batching their own concrete.

It is inconceivable today to imagine Council performing such a task.

With a 20% recent rate hike for sealing rural roads, and millions in grants for bridges, both are worse than ever.

We received those huge grants for the bushfires and recent disastrous floods, when apart from the Upper Kalang, which in March was impacted by a deluge, we missed the fires and haven’t had a major flood for years.

Yet how distressing it was to read in Council news the announcement of a grant for $350,000 just to assess the flood damage for last March. It’s not my money so who cares.

Local Governments’ role has always been and should be to provide essential services, roads, bridges and public facilities etc.

It is not to be the nappy changer for that vocal minority screaming “help me, help me”.

Officers for wellbeing and resilience are just some of a growing list of officers and supervisors.

There is little regard for local jobs with so much work contracted out to non-local residents.

Apart from the Greens and Labor there appears to be three non-political independent groups formed from Dorrigo, Bellingen and Urunga, each supporting the same person for Mayor.

There are some very highly regarded long term residents with their hands up, and if enough of us put self interest and politics aside and vote for the whole Shire there could be a change for the better.

Always the optimist.

Regards,
Darcey BROWNING,
Bellingen Shire.