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Council is open

Staff ReporterEastern Reporter

IN response to the letter in last week’s edition headlined ‘Balm for sore’ referring to the efficient running of Bassendean council meetings, they were made very efficient by using en bloc voting and having briefings for the raising of questions by councillors and having monthly meetings.

The community has free and early access to the agenda and the attachments.

Any community member can contact any councillor or officer on any matter and at the council meeting can raise any questions they wish.

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The mayor answers or the questions are taken on notice and then responded to by officers.

Moreover, the mayor has a number of times invited residents to join with us after the council meeting.

By law, confidential matters must be discussed behind closed doors and there is no option about that.

Community members are most welcome to sit in the public gallery for the entire council meeting, but must leave for the confidential items.

Ironically, few people actually sit through the whole meeting and usually when councillors debate the Notices of Motion, few people are still at the meeting.

Most people come for a specific item and leave as soon as it is dealt with.

This is efficient for those people as they can get home to their families.

This suggests that council is transparent and provides every opportunity to answer public issues wherever it can.

CR GERRY PULE,

former Deputy Mayor,

Town of Bassendean