Community still 'in dark'

TOO few people are informed about potential de-amalgamation and what lies ahead for the community according to Southern Downs Regional Council.

Speaking at council's general meeting today, Cr Jo McNally said she'd yet to stumble upon many ratepayers that have read up or grasped what's proposed.

"In my going around I've been asking people if they've read the Granite Belt's (Community Associations) report and I haven't had many responses to say they have read it so I'm encouraging people... you should be informed,” the deputy mayor said.

"Read both reports. It's very important the community actually informs themselves.”

Council voted this morning to accept a SDRC review of the Granite Belt Community Association's proposal, A New Granite Belt Council.

Speaking after the vote GBCA president Rev Alan Colyer said the comments within council's review demonstrate the clear divide in the two regions.

"The association believes that there are no substantive issues raised in the review that would alter the strong case for de-amalgamation put forward by the GBCA in its 2018 report to the Minister (Stirling Hinchliffe),” Rev Colyer said.

"The association is disappointed however that SDRC has missed an opportunity for constructive engagement, by producing a report that is partially a partisan defence of the authors' organisation and partially a frequently inaccurate commentary on the GBCA Report.

"The disconnect between the two communities could hardly be more clearly demonstrated than by comments in the Officers' Review

CEO David Keenan highlighted the internal concern among council staff, stating that they "haven't been consulted to a large degree”.

But Rev Colyer moved to reassure them.

"The GBCA's proposal is based on no forced redundancies. Our report was not able to provide a detailed assessment of the impact on staff because we were refused access by SDRC to the relevant information 'to protect the privacy of staff',” he said.

"It is doubly disappointing that the review now criticises the GBCA report for not addressing these issues for individual staff positions.”

The Queensland Treasury Corporation will now undertake a financial review of the de-amalgamation proposal.

Mr Keenan said those findings will be presented to council at their April general meeting.

Council have also mooted that they'll engage an independent person to undertake community information sessions in the coming months.

- Matthew Purcell, Stanthorpe Border Post