Many might rue local democratic process

Mr Primrose's contention (Forum, Peninsula News) that the Central Coast Council administrator cannot apply the same level of oversight and consultation as nine councillors and a mayor could be countered by the contention that one administrator cannot provoke the same level of pettifogging and dissension as nine councillors and a mayor.

The evidence that council papers are shorter than before and that less business is discussed at meetings than before suggests that there is less wasted time and effort under an administrator than under a council, and this must mean, in turn, that council servants are able to work more efficiently than in the past and that we are reaping economies of effort that can be applied to important issues.

My own past experience has been that council servants are happy under an administrator and that this improves morale and output.

As for the claim that the administrator cannot involve himself in the same level of public interaction as councillors, do we not have 17 (count them) advisers who can do all the interacting required and pass on their precious findings to the administrator, in condensed form, for his consideration and action?

This strikes me as more than enough outreach (particularly at the price we are paying these people) to satisfy anybody.

The fact that the administrator doesn't have to take any of this advice makes the situation even better and might encourage these advisers to focus on issues that could really receive attention, instead of grandstanding for the local press.

The question of when the administrator will take up such issues as the Land Sale Strategy will depend on how far the administrator wants to take a position immediately and how much he thinks the decision should be left to an elected council.

Since some matters might be tied to the long-term location of the Central Coast Council, he might well decide to leave well enough alone.

One thing is certain and this is that the functioning of the council under an administrator will give us a benchmark against which to measure the performance of an elected council after 2017.

If this latter turns out to be worse, many might rue their enthusiasm for the local democratic process.

Email, 29 Jul 2017

Bruce Hyland, Woy Woy