City of Greater Gelong (CoGG) consultants (David Lock Associates) have produced a further Draft Drysdale Community Infrastructure Report* and the council has invited local people to discuss it at a public consultation meeting on 19 November, 6.00 - 8.00 p.m. at Drysdale Primary School, Clifton Springs Road, Drysdale.
The latest Draft Report is accompanied by a summary list of the points made so far in public consultations, but, by itself, 'consultation' isn't enough. People who are consulted must see their views being acted upon or receive a clear explanation as to why not. Otherwise, consultation is just Public Relations by another name.
At present, it isn't always clear whether and how CoGG councillors and officers are hearing and acting on citizens' voices. Drysdale & Clifton Springs Community Association (DCSCA) has opened discussions with local councillors about how to improve CoGG's consultation processes. we have proposed two changes to current CoGG, neither of which will cost money and both of which will increase the effectiveness of the council's public consultation. The proposals are:
1. The City of Greater Geelong should develop a set of protocols concerning its communication and consultation with communities and other stakeholders; and should list specific communication and consultation targets that should be met before any proposal or report is brought before a Council meeting.
2. Each proposal or report presented to a Council meeting should include a section - ‘Communication & Consultation’ - in which the authors show that they have:
(i) communicated with and consulted relevant communities and other stakeholders in accordance with the Council’s communication and consultation protocols
(ii) met the specific targets associated with those protocols.
Such protocols and targets will enable councillors to see whether and to what extent their officers have communicated and consulted with stakeholders in the manner that the Council has decided they should; and they will enable stakeholders to see whether and to what extent their views have been taken into account in a Council project, proposal or report.
At present, some reports and proposals to Council list and/or summarise the results of consultations, but this isn’t a consistent practice. Implementing our two proposals will give continuity and consistency to the Council’s relationships with its stakeholders.
DCSCA's proposals require no new spending and this alone should commend them to councillors! Indeed, we believe that making the Council’s communication and consultation consistent with published protocols and targets will streamline officers’ work, instill new stakeholder confidence in the process and provide tangible evidence that the City of Greater Geelong listens to its constituents and wants to promote local democracy. The outcome will be communication and consultation that is be easier and quicker (and potentially less expensive) to perform.
* For a copy of the Draft Report, contact Ms Carmel Boyce, a Social Planner with CoGG (Tel. 5272 4702; email cboyce@geelongcity.vic.giv.au).
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