It was my advice that there is no apparent mechanism or protocol via which a constituent can make a ‘formal submission’ directly to the Mayor and Councillors and for it to be received ‘on the record’ and then for it to be deliberated upon in Open Council. Yes, a constituent can dress a submission up as:
- A ‘Question on Notice’, but it will inevitably be ‘answered (?)’ by an officer and never addressed or deliberated upon by Councillors in Open Council; or
- ‘Correspondence’ and as likely as not within a protocol period of ‘12 days’ it may be addressed by an officer, or indeed ignored, but not addressed by Council in Open Council and on the record; or
- A ‘Petition’ which may or may not be addressed or deliberated upon in Open Council presumably at the Mayor’s discretion.
Upon posing a ‘Question on Notice’ sometime ago, asking how a constituent might ensure that a question that is addressed to and ultimately responded to by the Mayor and Councillors to whom a question was addressed. The advice then was that, and on the record, that a constituent had to ”lobby a Councillor” who might or might not ask the question on the record if they saw fit. First, get your Councillor to take your call or answer your correspondence!
If one is seeking to, as I am entitled to, object, as a constituent, object to a Council determination on the advice is there is no mechanism.. Concerningly there is no apparent mechanism by which anyone can do so without bureaucrat hinderance. Nonetheless, I have:
- Prepared a detailed and expansive submission that is open for all to see and access; and
- Distributed my submission widely and including to all Councillors; and
- Sent out a MEDIA RELEASE relative to my submission/objection to the press et al plus all Councillors indicating that I would be in Civic Square at a designated time; and
- One Councillor attended, but apart from that I’ve received NO FORENSIC EVIDENCE that my submission/objection has been in fact received or was being ‘processed’ in any way; but
- I have however received informal advice that there was no apparent mechanism via which I can ensure that my submission/objection might be addressed by Council in Open Council; and
- It now seems that it will not be UNLEES the mayor deigns to put it to Council as a question – how will that work and will there be any deliberation by necessity?
When it is near on $100Million (plus??) of a community asset/s that is involved in the situation to hand, the matter is non-trivial – transparent deliberation is needed. It is not like submitting to Council that as matter of policy Council might consider painting Council cars pink no matter how good that idea might be. This case now might well be an exemplar of maladministration but whatever it is, it cannot go unaddressed.
There is a strong case to be put that this circumstance aside from being ‘undemocratic’is tantamount to being a denial of natural justice.
How might an elected body of ‘representatives’represent their constituent if their constituents are disengaged bureaucratically and are lacking ether a mechanism or a protocol to openly submit a concept, a strategy, a policy proposal, for their ‘representatives’ to consider?
Indirect Representative Democracy depends upon the represented being able to freely communicate with those who represent them given that no Councillor or officer can be expected to be cognisant of all community concerns and aspirations. Nonetheless, the ‘governed’ must be able represent themselves to their ‘governors’.
Direct Deliberative Democracy on the other hand enables the ‘represented’ to be directly engaged in the democratic processes of their governance.
The two modes of governance here do not by necessity cancel each other out as it is entirely possible that one can inform the other.
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WHAT MIGHT A SUBMISSION TO LOCAL GOVERNANCE LOOK LIKE?
Firstly, a submission needs to be succinct and likewise include all the relevant information required for ‘Councillors’ to consider it adequately.
It is entirely the responsibility of the person, an interest group, a network of constituents, whoever to ‘package’ their submission in an appropriate and persuasive way. It definitely isn’t the role of ’management’ to intervene and/or attempt to do this.
Their submission will inevitably stand or fall on the weight of information and evidence included in their submission. It should not, arguably must not, rely upon ‘management’s’ endorsement, backing or approval. To the contrary!
A FORMAT
An initial submission could/should be made up of the following elements:
- A body of text. This should/could be limited to 1,000 words – 2 A/4 SHEETS, 11PT TYPE –given that convention tells us that a1,000 words is typically “a 2 minute read”; and
- Where money considerations are involved a financial summary, whatever, that can be printed out on one A/4 sheet of paper; and
- Where ‘visual language’ – graphics, maps, diagrams, whatever – might assist in the comprehension of a concept/idea/proposal such information should be able to be printed out on one A/4 sheet of paper.
Should Councillors need/want more information than indicated above it is up to them to request the proponent to provide it and in any way they deem appropriate.
Likewise, Councillors might well rule that the submission is of no consequence and await the constituency’s response to their doing so. Whatever the goverrned will have been direcly engaged with those who were elected to 'govern' them – their governors not the non nelected bureaucratic management.
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