Baw Bore Councillor Watch

24/11/2015

hmmm sorry no post for a while as I have being living in another part of the country. Now I am returned.

I have noticed in the past 2 weeks, that just when the previous Mayor Murray Cook is under pressure for his alleged conflict of interest (according to the Gazette) - he votes to remove the council from the scrutiny of this local government Governance group called VLGA. Why???? What is he afraid of? That they will look more deeply into his conflicts of interest?http://www.warragulcitizen.com/local/baw-baw-councillors-plan-vlga-exit236

Next thing, according to todays Gazette, he is being investigated by the State Government for potential conflicts of interest that he hasn't declared over developments in Yarragon. What next is going to be uncovered? Does anyone else smell a rat here?

23/07/2015

so, what's the verdict on the new council buildings in Drouin? epic fail? like?

24/03/2015

BBCW believes there a disturbing trend happening and hope that history doesn't repeat itself.
The last time Murray Cook was a Councillor, the Shire of Narracan had to be bailed out by the other Shires at the time of amalgamation as they were bankrupt.
Now we find, following Cr Cook's 2 year mayoral term, Baw Baw Shire is apparently in a position where it needs to shed a multitude of staff and services to make it financially viable.
Here at Baw Bore Councillor Watch we are concerned that many community services are being culled to fund white elephants like the Warragul outdoor pool and the Drouin office construction.
Then of course, there is the funds required to pay out the redundancy packages of the staff that have been targeted in the 'restructure'.
Lucky financial acumen is apparently not a prerequisite to become a Councillor.

27/02/2015

BBCW saw this photo posted on the Shire FB page. Surely Cr's Jones and Williamson would have an opinion on this? Why would the shire put this ugly concrete alcove nativity relic that is only used twice a year in one of the most prominent areas of the park? Surely they could remove it or replace it with the money they have to spend?

19/02/2015

Lots of people around town today are talking about the council cuts. Some people are for it as they feel council needs a shake up. Others not so sure what the cuts will mean to services. And some, who know the staff affected, are pi**ed off and puzzled.

Reading the following article from the Warragul Citizen yesterday, it seems that while dozens of staff are being sacked, many new jobs/positions are being advertised and, other jobs are being outsourced to consultants. While we're all for keeping rates low here at Baw Bore Citizen watch, we wonder 'does this make economic sense?' http://www.warragulcitizen.com/local/sackings-changes-and-more-in-draft-baw-baw-structure-review014

One thing is for sure - it seems like the CEO secured her 5 year contract with a promise to councillor that is going to COST US RATEPAYERS A LOT OF MONEY! Was she forced into doing this by the Councillors, as the only way she could keep her job? If so, she has blood on her hands.

I keep wondering....will we, the punters, ever hear the true figures this 'restructure' is going to cost us? What exactly, will be the actual net gain in the end when the dust settles? Millions will be spent on redundancies, and we will see staff with corporate knowledge going off to work as consultants who will then be hired back by the Council at twice their previous rate. Services will be cut and our growing community will be left with some sealed roads, but little else to show from this current crop of councillors.

Ms Anstis, your $30 k pay rise is going to end up costing us ratepayers a lot of money in the long run. And, Councillors, your relentless vendetta against staff is going to come back and bite you in the bum at the next election - don't forget those staff live in this community too and they have family and friends that all vote.

AT LEAST 35 people are likely to be made redundant and a directorate disbanded as part of the Baw Baw Shire's Organisation Structure Review. A draft c

18/02/2015

All of the longest serving staff are about to be axed from Baw Baw Shire in an attempt to rid council of any local knowledge. It is obvious from our perspective that the Executive (none of which are local people) are feeling a bit inadequate regarding their ability to bond with the local community and so they are weeding out anyone with knowledge on how this has been done successfully in the past.
In a move which is likely to cost ratepayers millions dollars in redundancy payouts, a new structure has been released by the CEO which dumps at least 37 staff and has opened the door for up to 90 jobs to be outsourced.
Our Councillors must be asleep at the wheel to allow this to happen. We are a growing Shire and we are cutting jobs from planning??? Our Councillors have just given the CEO a 10% pay rise and secured her job for the next 5 years, while she was lying to the staff by telling them that if they took a miserly 2.7% increase they would be protected from redundancies.
Cuts to key areas include Parks & Grounds maintenance, Community Engagement, Environment, Planning, Enforcement, Community Services, Engineering and many more.
One of the reasons being used to justify this sham is State Government Rate Capping. We are not stupid, Councillors. This was an idea only floated prior to the last State election and IT DOES NOT EXIST in Victoria.

Please share your thoughts on this and invite your friends to like this page so we can have a greater community voice.

21/01/2015

Anyone seen the 'upgrade' of the Drouin Shire Offices? Where does demolition finish and upgrade start? Not one internal wall is left and barely a skeleton remains of the original footprint of the building! Sorry no photo, there wasn't much left to take a shot of.....

26/06/2014

so, things have been pretty quiet lately at this page... but when you have a council like this taking its eye off the ball, the community speaks loud and clear in other forums - like the letters page of the local rag this week. Time to add to those voices.

This council seems to be stuck in the last century when 'roads, rates and rubbish' was all small councils had to worry about. They dont get it that these days the community expects a whole lot more now Councillors have big budgets and growing populations to manage. But - where is the SERVICE and VISION in this latest budget??

It's not enough to simply sell off blocks of land to your developer friends and fix a few potholes in the towns (not the rural areas though, where roads are getting worse).

What about funding better library services instead of closing them down? What about making land developers pay to build some of the new infrastructure we need such as KINDERGARTENS?? What about giving the parents in this shire some certainty that their kid will be able to go to a local kinder next year? What about keeping the Maternal and Child Health Care center in Williams Square so parents can visit when they are shopping in town? It's being moved to the back blocks of Warragul in another 'people don't matter' decision by this council.

What about keeping some of the rural character of this shire that made it special in the first place for many of us that moved here? If we wanted to buy in Pakenham, we would have bought there!

Isn't it time this council started focussing on the people that live here and pay the rates? And, that they stop wasting money on yet more expensive concrete projects that will cost tens of millions like the white elephant of the cold-water outdoor pool and new offices?

01/04/2014

This Council tells us that it prides itself on transparency and listening to the community!
Maybe then they can explain to the public why they made a decision at the last meeting to remove a perfectly healthy, beautiful tree in Civic Park in Drouin without following due process. No officers report, no arborists report, no chance for community submissions and the councillors have directed for immediate removal. This is the same Council that requires the general public to obtain a permit to remove a tree on their own property.
Rules for some???

27/03/2014

BUT - we here at Baw Bore Councillor Watch are a bit cautious about the move to shut down Warragul Smith st offices for the following reasons
1) the Family and Children’s Services centre at William Square will also be closed and staff moved to a council-owned building on Normanby Street by 1 July this year. That is, mums and dads who need to visit the center with their kids, for baby capsules, immunisation or other support will now have to leave the convenience of the CBD and travel to the outskirts of town for services. What about those who rely on public transport? Bit far to push a pram from the train!
2) Will ratepayers still be able to access the same level of customer service at the main council building in Civic place? Or will every Warragul resident now have to drive to Drouin for council services. This sux when Warragul is the bigger town, to say nothing about the inconvenience for those in the eastern end of the shire at Nilma, Yarragon and Darnum etc who have to drive to Drouin for basic services.
3) its disappointing to hear that none of the staff have been consulted about this change to their work place. Shouldnt they have been involved in the decision? What about those who walk to work who will now have to drive? Watch this space for soon for some upcoming industrial action we think!
4) They say it will cost $2.5- $2.7 million. That is YET MORE borrowings on top of the huge loan they are taking out for the White Elephant of an outdoor pool that will only be used 2 months of the year and will cost us $23 million. How much debt is this council going to take us into? Is someone, like the State Government Auditor, watching Baw Baw?

interesting times.....

27/03/2014

Good to see the council is trying to save ratepayers funds on consolidating office accommodation. Todays Warragul Citizen reports the council is moving 85 staff out of Smith St, shutting down the customer service centre and redeveloping the Drouin office at a cost of $2.7 mill. In the long run that should save on expensive rents in Smith st of $250K a year.
http://www.warragulcitizen.com/local/baw-baw-to-close-smith-street-offices-move-staff-to-drouin824

THE BAW Baw Shire Council will close its Smith Street offices and move 85 staff to the former Buln Buln Shire offices in Drouin in a bid to cut costs and improv

26/02/2014

Anyone else been polled by council lately? Word about town is that they have an agenda to get rid of more staff and services - in what areas who can say.
Now, like any long-suffering rate payer, I'm all for rate decreases in the upcoming budget. But just wonder what's behind the telephone poll question "Would you rather have a cut to rates or a cut to staff and services?". When the pollster was asked "what services would you cut" they wouldn't be specific!
So, what's in store for this years budget? Do the staff know that potential job losses are on the the agenda??