From my rates notice, council has decided to cancel the option to pay rates at local post offices from October 2016. I am very concerned that this decision was made in April 2016 with minimal community consultation; was made with undue haste and not in an open and transparent manner; neglected an impact assessment on the most vulnerable citizens in our council area and was made without a rigorous and thorough examination process.

It will impact greatly on the older and marginalised ratepayers in our community. They do not have a vehicle and use public transport, cannot use or own a computer and use the post office to pay most of their bills, including rates. I request that this council decision be postponed. 

Barry Lynch, Lake Cathie

Mayoral candidate Peta Pinson persists with her claim that council is planning a 52.4% rate rise, despite assurances from Mayor Peter Besseling and councillors. In doing so, she is effectively accusing councillors of lying.  If elected as mayor, how will Ms Pinson sustain the confidence of councillors, council staff, and ultimately, the people of Port Macquarie - Hastings?

Michael Eddie, Port Macquarie

Am I the only resident curious about the National Party’s support for Peta Pinson? Has anyone else noticed the familiar faces at pre-poll, corflutes up where the National Party displayed for Gillespie and some still standing next to Pinson? Are they happy to support Pinson’s claims about rate increases just to attempt to undermine Peter Besseling? Hopefully, the intelligent members of our community will choose to ignore the scaremongering and believe council assurances that there is no planned rate rise.

Krissa Wilkinson, Port Macquarie

The local council elections have 27 candidates up for election.

They tell me: Select eight councillors and one mayor! That’s a total of nine to be selected. But I want to elect all from the Wauchope side of the highway, if possible. I do like the idea of six councillors and a mayor from Wauchope plus two blokes from Camden Haven. A piece of cake really.

Jim Griffiths, Wauchope

With the proliferation of development sites in the Wauchope area and the lack of infrastructure and other essential service planning there should be serious doubts about the existing councillors been able to meet the needs of anyone outside the CBDs of the Hastings.  We all need to study the guide form before we commit pen to paper this time around.

Doug Sutton, Wauchope 

In relation to the article "Bullied Out of Council", Port Macquarie Independent, Thursday 25 August, 2016 where Adam Roberts claimed he was bullied, I have attended the majority of council meetings throughout its term, and have never witnessed any evidence of bullying by anyone, especially the mayor, who has only ever acted in a professional manner. At council meetings or at any other event I have attended where the mayor is present, I have never observed any evidence of bullying by the mayor.

If Adam Roberts was bullied by his council colleagues, why did they elect him as deputy mayor, this year?  The position of deputy mayor is for councillors held in high regard by their peers.  What Adam Roberts says, and what the other councillors do, seem to be in opposition to each other.  

Colleen Carmody, Country Labor member