Dear madam,

I sent this letter to the editor  of the Manning River Times and it seems that they do not wish to publish this letter. It seems, and this is a hypothetical comment,  that it may conflict with financial outcomes for the local paper re Council.

I do think there needs to be more transparency in council matters and not the adhoc system which has developed regarding the SRV which is more and more looking like a clandestine cloak and dagger operation by Council, even though it seems is supported by a minority in the public arena.

Please find enclosed a letter for your Letter to the Editor column.

Strange Happenings.

An interesting read from Di Morrissey’s, ” The Manning Community News”, January, 2016. And we start to wonder about all the strange happenings occurring as the Council presses ahead with the SRV (Special Rate Variation) process.

Questions that should be asked is  – why did the council proceed when not all Councillors were present as this is a subject which affects all individuals not just the interest of a few, as plenty of notice would have been known within council that this matter was to be raised. And if for some reason one Councillor had to miss that meeting due to some unforeseen instance then the subject matter of the SRV should  be debated when all Councillors would and could be present.

But the whole process seems to end up in the secret society folder of outcomes, and we read that Councillors have been sworn to secrecy, and not be allowed to talk about it publicly. We also read where night time clandestine operations are instigated against shopkeepers by having legal letters placed under doors (unsigned it seems) so now it seems to become a cloak and dagger operation with them being sued by Fair Trading NSW and Taree City Council if they displayed a poster about the SRV. It also seems that when asked for a comment on the SRV, Councillors were not permitted  to comment prior to the SRV going to IPART, but could comment after a decision was made (Quote).

My gripe is that we elect Councillors to represent us and we don’t need a James Bond secret society developing within this Council, and if a Councillor wants to speak out then so be it. We also don’t  need the childish antics which seems to be part of the Council and its operations in silencing Councillors who are there to represent electors. This council has had some strange occurrences over previous years within its management and administration outcomes which are well remembered by many.

So let’s have a Council that acts like a council for the electors of this district, not as it seems some pushing their own barrow of outcomes.

Edward deBouter
Caparra