Three advisory committees have been set up by Moorabool council in an attempt to “streamline processes” and prevent costly reworking by council officers.
At their July 2 meeting, councillors voted to form delegate committees, covering social development/finance, and governance.
A third body, to be known as a place-making committee, will deal with urban design, land use strategies, heritage and traffic planning.
A fourth proposal, for a committee for development assessment, was voted down.
Cr Tonia Dudzik said she had reservations about the three-member panels.
“We all represent different people and groups, and different people will approach different councillors and may not necessarily go to the three that sit on that committee,” she said.
“It’ll make a difference as to how people approach and deal with us.”
However, Cr David Edwards said the committee plan could help cut costs and, because the committees were only advisory, issues would still be referred to the full
council.
“They’re open to the public … and they give us an opportunity to streamline and reduce the amount of work, or rework, that’s done by officers,” Cr Edwards said.
“Reworks cost council a lot of money.”
Cr Pat Toohey said while the feedback-based panels would help councillors work on different skillsets, there were setbacks.
“The trouble will be disgruntled applicants who may end up coming before councillors who don’t know what they’re talking about, who haven’t been briefed about the issue,”
Cr Toohey said.
“It would make council seem dysfunctional, and we’d be caught on the hop. However, there’s nothing to stop other interested councillors from attending the committee meetings.”
The committee meetings will be open to the public, and will be held once a month for the finance/governance and place-making committees, and every second month for the social development trio.
Cr Edwards voted for himself, Cr Dudzik and Cr Allan Comrie to sit on the social development committee. Cr Tom Sullivan and Cr Toohey will sit alongside him on the place- making committee.
The finance committee comprises councillors John Spain, Dudzik and Toohey.
