THE Bass Coast Shire Council has applied a gag on anyone, for or against, the proposed Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Special Charge Scheme from asking questions at council’s monthly public meetings.
The ban on questions about the scheme was announced by the Mayor Cr Michael Whelan at last Wednesday’s council meeting at which upwards of six questions had been submitted on the issue.
“Councillors received further questions regarding the Surf Beach Sunderland Bay potential special charge scheme and these questions have been assessed as subject matter already answered,” Cr Whelan said.
“Councillors responded to questions on this subject matter at the last five council meetings. Council acknowledges the community interest in this project and is frequently reviewing and updating the already detailed information on Engage Bass Coast,” he said.
“This will continue to be our practice until Council makes a decision on the project.”
The decision to ban letters about the special charge scheme was not passed by a vote of councillors, it was a captain's call by the Mayor.
A spokesperson for the ‘no’ case, Susie Wicks, said many people affected by the scheme were very disappointed about the decision by council to ban questions about the scheme.
“Yes, we are very concerned about council’s behaviour, of increasingly shutting the door on the community in this region, which has again been highlighted as we get closer to a decision on the proposed special charge scheme,” said Ms Wicks.
“But the reality is that we have questions that we would like to air publicly as this process continues.
“How for example are they going to deliver the details of the proposal to those affected by the scheme? A lot of the property owners have contact with the shire by email, but they say they are going to send out the information by registered mail.”
Ms Wicks said the group had received more than 800 signatures supporting the no case for the scheme, representing 51% of the 1040 property owners impacted by the scheme.
“That’s taken us months to put together and it’s going to be difficult to go through that process again if people want to formally express their opposition to the scheme.”
Ms Wicks said she was aware council was now directing those with questions to the Engage Bass Coast webpage, but she claimed not all questions could be addressed there.
She said it was a worrying over-reach to stop people asking questions about the scheme at council, especially just a couple of months away from the final decision.
“You wouldn’t think it was too much to ask for them to continue accepting legitimate questions people might have about what is potentially a $30 million project.
“I notice that someone did ask a question about council’s contribution to the cost of Shetland Heights Road, and if it is just a matter of changing the subject of the questions around, we’ll continue putting our questions to council about issues of concern,” she said.
At the March meeting of council 10 questions were put to the council about the proposed Surf Beach Sunderland Bay Special Charge Scheme but only a generic reply was offered: “Councillors will consider and debate all aspects and implications of this issue as part of Council’s agenda.”
Later in the council meeting, councillors voted to adopt Concept Option 1 for the full upgrade of roads and drainage improvements in Surf Beach and Sunderland Bay estates as the preferred design option.
Council will now proceed with preparing individual cost estimates and the proposed funding model including distribution of costs for consideration at a future meeting of Council.
It is expected that the average cost of the scheme to individual property owners will broadly range between $19,000 and $25,000. You’ll find these sorts of details on the Engage Bass Coast website.
One thing you won’t find however, is exactly when the property owners can expect to receive the formal documents from the Bass Coast Shire Council and the closing date for submissions and formal expressions, in favour or against the scheme.
The best indication on the Engage Bass Coast website is the following: “Cost estimating and cost proportioning - April to June 2023” supporting previous indications that the formal documents will go out in June, after the June 21, 2023 council meeting. Could be worth a question, however.
