Brooks criticises 'performance improvement order'
Ratepayers' Choice council candidate Mr Kevin Brooks has criticised the imposition of a Performance Improvement Order on Central Coast Council by Local Government Minister Mr Ron Hoenig.
Mr Brooks said he would be writing to Mr Hoenig and State Members of Parliament asking them to reconsider.
"It is undemocratic and unreasonable to sanction new councillors before they have even been elected," he said.
"Minister Mr Ron Hoenig and Minister for the Central Coast Mr David Harris obviously do not trust the people of the Central Coast.
"They think we are incapable of choosing our own leaders, or governing ourselves through a system of local democracy that works perfectly well across the rest of the Western World.
"After four years being governed by an unaccountable Council bureaucracy, our rates are 39 per cent higher and our services are much worse."
Mr Brooks said: "It is clear that underlying problems haven't been fixed, and the Long Term Financial Plan only balances because of a groundless assumption IPART will approve further special variation rate hikes.
"We need to restore democratic accountability if we are to move forward.
"The Order as drafted hasn't been properly thought through and may give Council senior managers an excuse to obstruct reforms that are needed to improve performance, efficiency, productivity and culture.
"The Order also makes it harder to ensure resource allocation reflects the priorities of the whole community rather than those of a self-interested Council bureaucracy.
"We also need an explanation as to why this happened just 10 days before an election?"
SOURCE:
Media release, 6 Sep 2024
Kevin Brooks, Ratepayers' Choice