Division 3 Councillor, Rob Pyne, has responded to the criticism by Mayor Val Schier about his failure to attend several ‘closed session’ budget meetings.
- For some time now, I have been endeavouring to keep my dissatisfaction with aspects of Council leadership, or the lack thereof, as close to my chest as possible. However, the Mayor’s comment about my own absence from several of the closed budget meetings cannot go without reply.
Firstly, it was made quite clear to me that submissions for new capital items would not be accepted from Divisional Councillors at these meetings, mainly as a result of the length of time to develop costings and get quotes to ascertain the cost of delivering new projects. My absence was also a result of statements made last year that my attendance at 2008 budget sessions, indicated my support for the double digit rates increase, despite the fact I voted against it on the floor of Council
Secondly, to my knowledge only one Councillor has claimed that her attendance at these sessions resulted in a project not otherwise authorised being included in the budget. Closer examination reveals the item had been in the previous year’s budget and had only been deferred to the following year as a result of practical difficulties in delivering the project on time.
After my commitment to my immediate family, the only other driving force in my life is to deliver the best possible outcomes for the community in which I live. I am hopeful the people I represent can see this passion and commitment in all my dealings. Certainly I am more than prepared to stake my own reputation against any misinformation disseminated by the Office of The Mayor.
4 comments:
Pyne claims he's dedicated to his division and those that elected him. And yet he's been pretty pathetic at actually showing results despite his media blitz, newsletters, twitters, and self-promotion with John Mackenzie.
The first rule of politics, Rob - Ya gotta go to the meetings and work with your colleagues. No amount of self-promotion gets the work done. Time to actually DO THE WORK, mate. It's the height of arrogance to pick and choose your meetings based on your personal agenda. You get a huge salary (double the Cairns average battler) to do this job. So show up and do it, and stop your whinging about others.
For the benefit of 'Forest Gardens Resident'.
I do not believe you are from Forest Gardens. If anything you are from within Council Chambers, either a Councillor or from the Spin Department.
You seem to know too much just to be a casual resident!
Why do you not remove your vale and show us your identity?
If you are prepared to personally criticise a public individual, you should have enough conviction to show your face.
Ross, I think you might mean 'veil'. Lack of literacy skills can sometimes make you look very silly.
Rob Pyne is perfectly correct. The top-down budget process is more about trapping Councillors into endorsing the bureaucracy's ideas about what ought happen - far more than it is about Councillors setting priorities for bureaucrats to follow.
What's worrying is that the Mayor seems to see her job as supporting the bureaucrats rather than managing them.
Val has all the executive authority. If she chooses not to use it, then "workshops" become rubber stamps and instruments of control. So much for democracy.
In three and a bit years we'll see how many of the voting public line up behind Val and her efforts, and how many support Robert.
As for Vale Boy, and Pixie face - gee aren't they switched on to the important issues? I bet they're both candidates for the CEO spot.
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