Thank you to all who attended yesterday’s Como Tea in the Park. Ninety five people turned out to speak and listen. Many others have stopped me for a chat in the street or at the shop.
One of the questions raised was about the degree of consultation held so far. Some people felt that they had not been informed of developments nor taken part in enough conversations. I’ve looked over my history list for this project and made a list of the events that I have been to myself. In addition to these there are very many events around the Vision 2030 project run by South Perth, which includes some very clear direction for what people want for Canning Highway. There were twenty three of these South Perth Vision 2030 events, plus at least three more in Council chambers or meeting room.
My diary of consultation around Canning Bridge transport and other issues includes the following events.
· 21 July 2008 Initial presentation by GHD, joint events for City of South Perth and Melville citizens, at South of Perth Yacht Club, two sessions, mid- day and evening
· 29 July 2008 Council briefing City of South Perth with GHD, councillors and staff
· 11 August 2008 Community Engagement session 1, at South Perth Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 800 metres zone
· 18 August 2008 Community Engagement session 1, at SP Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 400 metres zone
· 27 August 2008 SP Councillors and staff update with GHD
· 01 September 2008 Community Engagement session 2, at SP Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 800 metres zone
· 08 September 2008 Community Engagement session 2, at SP Senior Citizens for SP residents within the 400 metres zone
· Oct 2008 Joint presentation for Councillors of SP and Melville, at Melville Council offices
· March 2009 Joint presentation for Councillors and Officers of SP and Melville
· Sept 2009 Joint presentation for Councillors of SP and Melville
· Approx. Feb 2010 Public event at Melville Senior Citizens Centre, plus development of Canning Bridge Community FaceBook site
· Feb 2010 Letters to all owners within the precinct
· Feb 2010 Public forum, 400 attendees
· July 2010 Joint briefing with both Councils, including changes in response to consultations
In addition to these official events I have personally hosted one community forum at Olives Reserve and two in McDougall Park, all well- attended. This blog site has added a continuous flow of further information and sought public comment. There has also been one neighbourhood meeting in a resident’s house, attended by the Mayor and myself.
By my reckoning this covers at least forty consultation, listening and conversation events around the future of South Perth. My email has carried a similar heavy load. Our future has not been short of public participation. I do observe that we have had less representation from younger people and I rather think that less business people have made the time to attend.
On Tuesday 29th September the Canning Bridge Vision document will be presented for Council endorsement. On 21st September (today) there is the opportunity for public deputation about that Vision. Once that milestone is reached the Council will be able to move onto detailed planning to make our City safer and even more liveable. Such planning will include detailed built- form and streetscape guidelines, a traffic study, parking and access study and landscape design. Through this process I trust that South Perth will follow its tradition of continuous consultation. For an opportunity to speak please feel free to submit a request to Council for Deputations tonight, 21st September.
As usual, have your word by clicking in Comments at the end this blog.
6 comments:
Pete: you are probably correct in the number of meetings held. The point however is that consultation is pointless unless both parties are prepared to listen, understand and in some cases change their stance. You are one of our Ward Councillors and you have not changed your stance to reflect the feedback we have repeatedly given you on anything. Therefore in my view you should resign your position. Maryclaire Andrews
Yes Pete, you are correct in that there has been several public/community consultations, but none of these "consultations" have accurately informed attendees of what is happening or what is planned to happen. Instead, the organisors have put forward wishy-washy "visionary" plans and provided over the top motherhood statements - they have certainly not listened to the concerns or ideas of the residents.
You have again missed the point. You do not consult - you attend meetings and make gratuitous comments about taking down the comments made by those in attendance for future use. You do not use them. You are one of our Ward Councillors and have not listened to what we have told you. You should therefore in my view do the honourable thing and resign from you position as you are not capable of representing your constituents.
I have tried to post this on your blog but have been unable to.
Cr Best some of us appreciate your patience in all of this and that you are listening unlike other councils in the Metro area.
Keep listening and ignore the radicals.
Hi Peter,
An impressive list. I have also been to a good many of these consultations and from my notes people asked as a key point was that there not be a reduction in the amount of free space available. This was a key point and a very good example of how the listening process has been so sadly lacking on the part of you and your council.
I recall that this was strongly expressed at both the initial meetings which I attended that public open space was critical and should not be reduced.
I noted in addition that the overall thrust of the public information tendered to the meetings involved up to six stories at a maximum for the Como development with no desire to build a bus terminal (round about) on the public land.
Basically you and your council are failing to listen in this consultation process. You cannot claim to “Through this process I trust that South Perth will follow its tradition of continuous consultation.” if this consultation process is to purely appear to go though the motions of listening.
Overall the level of Consultation and the adherence of the process of consultation is poor to non existent. I note that the South Perth was placed into administration by the State Government and administered by State Appointed Administrator. It was deemed to be dysfunctional by the State Government.
I feel that the time is rapidly approaching when we revisit that status again as on this issue the Council’s consultation process (directed in the main by you) has shown all of the elements of a dysfunctional approach.
The Residents of Como are significantly dissatisfied with your performance as both a councillor and as Mayor. I feel that it may be time that you re-visited in your mind both the meaning and intent of the consultation process as this is designed to function within our society.
PS given the level of voting in local government and the number of dissatisfied individuals in the Ward your position on council could look decidedly dodgy.
Sure there have been many meetings and I have been to almost all of them, but there really has been no point. The residents talk and the councillors talk but the consultants, who live nowhere near here and couldn't care about the people who live here, make the decisions. I personally found the consultants quite ignorant and annoying.
Sufficient research and planning has never been done. I even recall the mayor saying at one 'consultation', that the building of a train station at Canning Bridge took the City of South Perth by surprise! It wasn't like the station appeared overnight, there were quite a few years before the station appeared! Now we have a very well used station with zero infrastructure, it's really sad. We know it's going to cost a lot of money, but lets build something we can all be proud of. Why can't we build a tunnell or a fantastic bridge that can service the busses?. Why do we have to ruin everything just because the State government doesn't want urban sprawl. This is a lovely pocket of land, why can't it stay that way? Why can't we build high rises somewhere else, where the infrastruture will cope with it?
Lets do soem basics first, lets put in a South onramp from Manning Rd, build another station in South Perth, and in the meantime plan for something brilliant for Canning Bridge. Lets not be short termist by just throwing up something ugly because there happens to be some land that the councillors seem to feel is useless. We need to build for the future. Those 2 bridges have to be rebuilt sometime, lets find a clever engineer that can design a masterpiece that can be marvelled at. Perth deserves some excellence and what better place than South Perth.
It is naiive to say the local residents have been consulted. Consultation is a 2way process and up to now, it has been a dictatorship. It appears to me that the council is a figurehead, with no power. They probably can't veto any development, but they are too ashamed to say so. Instead they are hiding behind 'consultations', pretending what we say matters.
At another meeting I pointed out a flaw in the proposal to someone in an information corner. The person responded that it did look like an oversight, but it has never been changed. What was the point in even talking to her?
We need councillors that will listen, councillors who can and will actually stand up for South Perth, are not short termist and have insight into a something better. Are there any councillors out there that can do this?
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