Mayor Peta Pinson was forced to use her casting vote twice to ensure Port Macquarie-Hastings Council gained access to a project centred on local government.
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Council will allocate $14,000 from leftover funds from its days as a member of the Mid North Coast Regional Organisation of Councils (MIDROC) to localise a University of Technology Sydney project called Why Local Government Matters.
UTS completed the work in 2015. It is considered a major piece of social research on community attitudes to local government.
The research aims to better understand how and why the activities of local governments and their roles in society are valued by communities.
The project was discussed at the December 5 meeting of the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation. Council is a member of this JO.
But that membership came under fire from Cr Mike Cusato at the December council meeting.
"I have advocated against membership and I don't think anyone outside this room would know what the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation is," he told the chamber.
Cr Rob Turner pitched in wanting council to transfer the leftover MIDROC membership funds to the regional sporting fields reserves for the Stoney Park, Wauchope facility.
Cr Peter Alley though believed that the very low cost involved and the benefits of joining the project would prove beneficial.
"Why Local Government Matters made national news and has national implications," he said.
I think it is a no brainer. The sort of information we will get from this will guide further decision making and further investments.
- Cr Peter Alley
"I think it is a no brainer. The sort of information we will get from this will guide further decision making and further investments," he said.
"It will also inform us as to how we can make this council an even better council."
Cr Turner said: "I don't see why we should put in our ratepayers' money into something that is a poor substitute for what we are currently doing."
Cr Lisa Intemann said Why Local Government Matters was more about community attitudes; about how the community sees us and how our services are perceived.
"Not only that, but we will also get bench marking with other JO's," she said.
Crs Alley, Griffiths, Intemann and Pinson voted for the allocation of the funds while Crs Cusato, Hawkins, Levido and Turner voted against.
The mayor used her casting vote to get the resolution over the line.
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