Kevin Hillier says Wyndham council’s silence is deafening
The silence has been deafening from 45 Princes Highway this week after my challenge to the new mayor last week. But the feedback on social media and email was very loud and all with the same theme – a total lack of satisfaction with the way the current council operates and represents ratepayers.
The council has Metropolis Research carrying out its annual Community Satisfaction Survey, a door-knocking campaign with a sample size of 800 carried out over a six-week period. According to the knowyourcouncil.com.au website, which the council has been promoting, Wyndham council has a 69 per cent rating with regard to satisfaction with community consultation and engagement and a 64 per cent rating with satisfaction with council decisions.
I can tell you the Hillier View survey is coming up with a different number.
It’s interesting that our council commissions its own survey, while 79 other councils across the state do a joint venture.
That wouldn’t have anything to do with the wooden-spoon showing when Wyndham last participated in the joint survey, would it? We have a new chief executive and a new mayor, which we all hoped would mean a new approach.
Still not moving
Council recently announced it had won a national advocacy award for the Get Wyndham Moving campaign. Congratulations.
Let me point out though that the judging panel consisted of three New South Wales-based people. Their decision was based purely on the council submission because, to my knowledge, they never set foot in the city.
I’ve never said Get Wyndham Moving didn’t read well or wasn’t a much-needed philosophy. But it has had zero effect on actually fixing the problem it identifies.
History tells us that there were a lot of very good-looking blueprints for flying machines around before the Wright brothers invented the first successful aeroplane in 1903. When Get Wyndham Moving actually gets Wyndham moving, I’ll be the first to say well done. ■
If you have any news or events, let me know at kevin@howdypartnersmedia. com.au
