Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Councillors have no say on market move

Source: Wangaratta Chronicle - 22.10.08

Don’t blame us for lack of market consultation

Written by philip nolan.

THE Rural City of Wangaratta’s elected councillors have not had any input into the decision to force the city’s Sunday market from its popular Wareena Park location.

And the council has laid the blame for the lack of consultation with stallholders over the issue squarely at the feet of the market organisers.

The issue was not raised on the official agenda of last night’s council meeting at Tarrawingee, but quickly surfaced during public question time.

Three members of the gallery quizzed the council over the lack of consultation on the decision to move the market and also the reasons behind the decision.

Rosa Bandera asked why consultation on the issue had only been between the council and the organisers and not the stallholders.

She said that there was strong opposition to the planned move to Avian Park, and that 900 signatures opposing the move had been obtained in just four hours at the market last Sunday.

Andrew Smith said that the complete lack of consultation with stallholders had meant it was impossible to address the problems which council claimed were behind the need to move the market.

"It seems that the decision was just rubber-stamped by council with no opportunity to work through the problems," he said.

"Many people chose to walk to the market as a Sunday outing, but the council is now forcing them to use their cars. What is the sense in that?"

Lauren O’Neill asked why council had built the Market Pavilion at Apex Park if it was zoned the same as Wareena Park.

City mayor Roberto Paino said the decision to move the market had not come before councillors for discussion.

"It was an operational issue and was not discussed by councillors," he said.

City chief executive officer, Doug Sharp, said there "had been nothing to consult about".

"The temporary permit to run the market at Wareena Park was due to expire, and because of the zoning we could not issue a further permit," he said.

"This was not a council decision.

"There was simply no other option.

"We dealt with the organisers of the market in working out a solution, and it was up to them to consult with the stallholders.

"They are the organisers of the event."

Mr Sharp admitted that the zoning aspect of the Apex Park pavilion had been an "oversight" by council.

"However, in our coming planning review, that will change," he said

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1 Comments:

Blogger Greg Naylor said...

CEO Doug Sharp certainly put the council back in its place when he said:- "The temporary permit to run the market at Wareena Park was due to expire, and because of the zoning we could not issue a further permit,"

"This was not a council decision."he said.
- a typically arrogant statement by our CEO.

And at last night's meeting, His contract came up for review early because the council will go into lock down mode in a few days. Surely, it would have been more prudent to await the election on the council BEFORE committing them to another two years under the same CEO

22 October, 2008  

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