{"id":9049,"date":"2018-04-18T09:42:44","date_gmt":"2018-04-18T09:42:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/bellarinetimes\/?p=9049"},"modified":"2018-04-20T08:56:12","modified_gmt":"2018-04-20T08:56:12","slug":"letters-to-the-editor-april-19-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/bellarinetimes\/news\/letters-to-the-editor-april-19-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Letters To The Editor – April 19, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"

Noble mind departs anon on Bard\u2019s birthday<\/h2>\n

Dear Editor,<\/p>\n

We are not alone in having local government impose quaint or odd restrictions on us.<\/p>\n

A rural council fined its citizens for allowing dogs to go unmuzzled, for ducks that wandered, for failing to sweep gutters, and for maintaining backyard compost heaps. This town was Stratford-On-Avon in the medieval days of the 1550s.<\/p>\n

People were fined for playing cards \u201cor any other unlawful games\u201d, and for not having their children home by 8pm in summertime.<\/p>\n

Ale-tasters haunted the innkeepers to determine they were putting \u201cno hops nor other subtle things in their brewing\u201d.<\/p>\n

So who are we to complain about the use of chainsaws and what we can put in the recycle bin? Dear Reader, it has been ever thus.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s brought all this on?\u201d you may well be asking.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s William Shakespeare\u2019s birthday on April 23. Do you know what The Bard would be famous for if he was alive today?<\/p>\n

Well, he\u2019d be 454 years old!<\/p>\n

Now, before you murmur, \u201cOh, what a noble mind is here o\u2019erthrown\u201d I shall seize upon another Shakespearean quote \u201cBrevity is the soul of wit\u201d and I shall depart anon.<\/p>\n

Three cheers for the Bard of Avon!<\/p>\n

And Happy Birthday to anyone who shares his birthday!<\/p>\n

Melva Stott<\/strong>
\nAnglesea<\/em><\/p>\n

\n

Address the chair<\/h2>\n

Dear Editor,<\/p>\n

Ratepayers and members of the public may ask questions at City of Greater Geelong fortnightly meetings. They may submit questions in advance, and have answers in writing.<\/p>\n

There are notes for Public Question Time, speakers are welcome and limited to three minutes or so.<\/p>\n

In actual fact, Council Local Law provides for 10 minutes or more, but this is not mentioned.<\/p>\n

The notes are to assist the public, but are unworkable and not followed by the Mayor.<\/p>\n

A list of public misdemeanours is included, ranging from questions \u201cnot the business of Council\u201d (not allowed), to \u201cembarrassing\u201d, offensive to Council or staff.<\/p>\n

One does not know where all these \u201cdiscredits\u201d of the public may end. They are embarrassing.<\/p>\n

I have asked for a list to be provided of what is \u201cdisallowed\u201d, but that cannot be done.<\/p>\n

How does one know beforehand what things are forbidden, to be able to avoid them?<\/p>\n

The solution is, if I understand it correctly, that contrary to the notes, any question may in fact be asked, and the Mayor then decides what is disallowed \u2013 and then ought not to have been asked.<\/p>\n

The old \u201cCatch-22\u201d, a tricky one.<\/p>\n

Thus the \u201cwelcome\u201d to visitors at Council is a mixed and mitigated one.<\/p>\n

The \u201cnotes\u201d very clearly are only guidance approved for the chair, supplied wrongly to the public.<\/p>\n

The correction should not be an addition of explanation but to remove what is unnecessary, unworkable and absurd. The unending list of what can go wrong should rather be a request for courtesy and \u201cto address the Chair, as in any public meeting, honoured by their absence from council notes.<\/p>\n

Such a more realistic approach is badly needed. Performance and image at City Hall is of course up to elected Mayor and Councillors.<\/p>\n

Peter Linaker<\/strong>
\nOcean Grove<\/em><\/p>\n

\n