Should the structure of local government change?

Dear editor,

With local council elections coming up, I would like answers to the following questions. These answers may well call into question the requirement for local councils in their current form.

What percentage of rate payers know who their councillors are?

What percentage of ratepayers in the past year have contacted a councillor with an issue?

What percentage of ratepayers in the past year have connected council directly with an issue?

What percentage of councillors believe that involvement in overseas issues is okay given that this type of involvement has proven to divide people and cause great distress?

What percentage of councillors believe roads, rates, rubbish and local issues should be a priority over state and federal issues?

In an ideal world, councils would not exist in their current form. The state government already has planning powers, VicRoads can be responsible for all council roads, and waste management would be a state responsibility.

There would be no requirement for a CEO or councillors as an additional state MP in every major council area would be directly responsible for council issues and bring with it increased accountably.

Of course there would still be staff employed in council offices at a reduced number to liaise with the state council MP.

The state council MP would not be able to point the finger at council for not providing infrastructure thus applying more pressure to provide for rate payers. Now councils point the finger at the state government… that would be a thing in the past.

Regards,

Robert Reid

Hopetoun Park