More to come for stolen chains and robe

IN MY opinion Bass Coast Shire Council holds a long-standing culture of evasiveness, ineptitude, and laziness.

For example, falsely accusing community members (including myself) of sending hundreds of emails to council per year, doing only the bare minimum required by the LG Act as they did with the GHD Environmental report, are but two recent examples.

And now, in what must surely be a blazing demonstration of the disregard council holds towards protection of community assets and the contempt it holds towards those who question it, we have councils pathetic response to theft of the Mayoral Chains and robe.

The theft of these items is a serious matter, but it appears that our supposed leaders at Bass Coast Shire Council do not consider it such.

Last week these people were asked if they would make available to the community a copy of council’s written report to Victoria Police of the theft of the items. They said they would. But they did not. 

They merely produced a vacuous “Notice to the Victim” police form which reveals nothing about council’s report of details of the theft. 

Why are they unwilling to answer public questions openly?

Those who should take responsibility for such a rotten culture at council are the CEOs and our elected councillors, past and present.

Councillors Michael Whelan, David Rooks, and Leticia Laing are already on the public record as being opposed to public questioning at council. 

But what of the others? Do they too secretly oppose public questioning of council? 

Or could it be that they are merely not able to provide open and transparent government for our community?

I will be lodging a complaint to council about its failure to provide what was requested and agreed, however my experience with this lot is that my complaint will be dismissed. 

Kevin Griffin