Better to have a small group of workers

It is now less than two months from the Council elections and the candidates are approaching the starting barrier.

We are about to be bombarded with bumf in our letterboxes and huge advertisements in our local papers extolling their virtues and promising us the world.

We all know that the main reason many of them (not all) want to get into Council is to get their snouts in the trough and both trotters too, if they can.

Their promises are like those of the average political candidate, and let's be fair dinkum, some of them are very average.

They will be forgotten before they have their first celebratory libation.

The infrastructure backlog will be spoken about and the need for immediate action on our roads, kerbing and guttering will receive serious consideration but, as has happened for the past 20 plus years I have lived in Woy Woy, nothing actually is done.

Mr Reynolds recently conducted a survey to prioritise those roads most in need of repair.

We are still waiting for the results, but more importantly some action, and I can guarantee you that we will still be waiting this time next year.

Our old mate Blind Freddy (no relation) can feel the abominable condition of Blackwall Rd as it passes through our CBD, with its giant potholes and urgent need for re-surfacing.

It is a disgrace, but nothing is done and nobody seems to care.

I saw an interview with a concerned ratepayer on NBN the other night bemoaning the overall reduction of total Councillors from 20 to 15.

Our problem is not with quantity but quality.

It is far better to have a smaller group of workers than a horde of do-nothings.

If a candidate is really going to work for the community he or she is promising to serve they should be prepared to make a commitment to have interview times at specified places, say Deepwater Plaza, once a month, where we can actually say hello to them and let them know what is really on our minds - not a free-for-all but a desk where we can sit down at a specific time and tell them our thoughts and hear what Council is doing, and more importantly when.

For years with no councillor representing a particular ward, all you ever heard from past councillors was "Sorry, I don't represent you," as they rapidly disappeared down the street.

This is our chance to get some real workers into our council who are prepared to listen, act on our behalf and keep us informed about what and when things are happening.

If we re-elect those who have failed to serve us before, and you can bet your bottom dollar they will not have changed their spots, we have only ourselves to blame when nothing changes.

The roads will continue to deteriorate, the potholes will continue to be filled in the same inefficient manner and many of our streets will continue to flood.

The ball is in our court.

Are we going to elect Roger Federer or Bernard Tomic?

Email, 19 Jul 2017

Fred Charles, Woy Woy