Yass Valley in 2030: put up or shut up

[ghekos2]

[color=#4000BF]Follow link to Yass Tribune http://www.yasstribune.com.au/news/loca ... torypage=2

28 Jul, 2010 03:00 AM
It's now or never. If you're a Yass Valley resident and you want to have a say in the long term planning of your local government area, now is the time to do so.

Yass Valley Council is calling upon long term residents, new citizens, business owners, individuals and families to contribute to its blueprint for the future.

The state government has recently introduced new legislation to govern the way councils and their elected representatives undertake their duties as custodians of the community's public purse and assets. The new integrated planning and reporting process requires councils to plan on a long term basis and not just for each council term. Yass Valley mayor Nic Carmody says the first and most important step in that process is to develop a community strategic plan for the next two decades. 'Yass Valley 2030' is the largest community project council has undertaken to date. The living document will identify the community's main priorities and aspirations for the future and will target social, environmental and economic issues.

"This is your opportunity to engage with council and have a voice in shaping the Yass Valley that you want to see in 2030 and beyond," Cr Carmody said.

"We want to hear as many voices as possible. If we don't, we run a real risk of getting the plan wrong and we really want to get it right.

"We want people to take an interest in their future and the future of their children. Everyone who lives in the Yass Valley has an opinion and we need to hear those opinions."

One of the greatest challenges for council is to balance the provision of real improvements for the community with the need to undertake essential infrastructure maintenance and renewal works, and to do so with limited resources, Cr Carmody says.

"A long term community strategic plan, developed in partnership with our community, will enable us to work together to find the best balance between these competing pressures."

A number of councils have already undertaken their plan for the future and in doing so have realised they cannot afford to give their communities everything they want, Cr Carmody said.

"A few councils have had to put their rates up after completing their strategy. They realised they would become unviable if they did nothing. I'm not of the opinion that our rates need to go up but if residents want a higher level of services they might have to help pay for it," he said.

To ensure as many voices as possible are heard, council will be holding one business meeting and four public forums between August 9 and August 12. The forums, which will be held in Yass, Binalong, Murrumbateman and Gundaroo, will not be focused on specific issues affecting the location where they are held but will look at the Yass Valley LGA as a whole.

Council's Community and Corporate Services Director, Sheri Norton, says meaningful participation by the community and other stakeholders is vital in ensuring informed, relevant and robust decisions.

"While recent changes to state legislation have determined the timing of this project, its importance to the community cannot be understated - 'Yass Valley 2030' is our blueprint for the future," she said.

"While there are a suite of plans that will ultimately make up 'Yass Valley 2030', the community strategic plan is the overarching document which identifies at a high level the community's aspirations and priorities for the future."

The information from the forums will be collated and used to prepare a draft community strategic plan, which will be presented back to the community for consideration.

"There will be a number of ways the community can contribute ideas to 'Yass Valley 2030'," Ms Norton said.

The forums are open to all members of the community but numbers are limited by venue size so RSVP is essential. Residents can register their interest by calling council on 6226 1477 or emailing cathy.cooke@yass.nsw.gov.au. A light dinner will be provided.[/color]

[Stoneleigh]

"put up or shut up"? Is this a democracy or a third world dictatorship?

So, if any Yass Valley residents can't make it to a meeting, they should have no say in the direction of the council for the next 20 years? And you assume the plan will remain unchanged for 20 years?

You should choose your words more carefully Ghekos2. They're offensive.

Stoneleigh

[admin]

stoneleigh, those words are not from ghekos2, they are quoted directly from the Yass Tribune article which has been posted in full by ghekos2. Click the link at the top of ghekos2 post and you will see.....by the way ghekos2 does not represent the Yass Tribune....

[Stoneleigh]

Sorry ghekos2. I should write to te YT. Stoneleigh.

[ghekos2]

Hi Stoneleigh, Hey none of us can get it right everytime. I'm pleased that you read the post and took the time to comment on the article. This community has a lot going on that most don't see because of their busy lives, commuting and going to the big shops. If you come across somthing that you feel may be of interest to us all please share it, stick up on our website.
Thanks admin for hand.
cheers.