Letter is excellent example of good citizenry
Mr Bruce Hyland, (Authors congratulated for thought-provoking plan, Peninsula News, September 18) apart from commending us on our initiative and energy, is very positive about the contents of the recently published Community Plan Central Coast.
Bruce then finds many points over which he then appropriately quibbles.
The initiators of the Plan were Ms Marcelle Hoff, an independent ex-deputy mayor of Sydney, and me, an independent candidate for the Federal seat of Robertson.
However, the Plan is now barely recognisable from the original draft issued in mid-2017 for community consultation, critique, workshopping, amendment and later distribution.
It immediately attracted former Regional Development Australia chair and infrastructure advisor, Mr David Abrahams, because it represented an ambitious and serious process to define the region's future direction.
Numerous other substantial locals and experienced community and business thought leaders were also attracted to the process.
Substantial debate proceeded.
The document expanded to 18 categories of policy as it reflected the extensive interests and concerns of the Central Coast community.
Bruce's thoughtful suggestions are welcome and we'd further welcome his participation.
Each of the 18 categories contains a concise statement of the purpose that Council has for being interested in, and at least partially responsible for, that particular category of policies.
This stated purpose will be a defence of the Council's interest even if it is a different level of government that has constitutional authority for that category.
Thirdly, beneath each purpose is a series of actions all beginning with, "Council will ...".
This is an attempt to produce a plan not full of dubiously ambivalent, or vague, phrases and woolly ideas, but clearly understood and crisply defined actions that Council is expected to take.
This is a plan, not a loose list of confusing political double-speak.
These are well-thought-through actions.
Only clearly-defined actions appear under the Purpose for each category of policy.
Finally, the Plan only contains actions to be taken by Council, but some/many actions of Council will need to be aimed at changing policies of NSW and Federal Governments if the Central Coast community's preferred future big picture is to be advanced.
To influence other levels of government, all the Council actions are organised under four headings, each heading representing a level of existing or proposed government that needs to be influenced: Precinct Committees; Local Government; NSW Government; and Federal Government.
Bruce Hyland provides our community with an excellent example of good citizenry.
His critique is welcome as is yours.
The Plan can only become an increasingly legitimate "preferred future" and therefore capable of influencing our representatives no matter what, or despite, their political party or variously independent allegiances, if contributions are made, and debates conducted, across the political spectrum.
Email, 3 Oct 2017
Dr Van Davy, Pearl Beach
Marcelle Hoff, Ettalong