George Town Council approves controversial amendment

FROM THE EXAMINER

By James Brady Oct. 17, 2012, 12:43 p.m.

click here to go to source and read all the comments

MEMBERS of the George Town Council public gallery today left after police were called to the council meeting at which a decision was made to approve an amendment to the council's planning scheme. 

Deputy mayor Bridget Archer and councillor Tim Cory boycotted the meeting after the decision was made. 

The planning amendment will allow a state government funded $6 million child and family centre and link hub to be developed on the town's historic Regent Square. 

More than 40 people were at the meeting, many of whom were in opposition to the agenda item related to the controversial development. 

Councillor Tim Cory and deputy major Bridget Archer boycotted the meeting after the decision was passed to amend the scheme. 

The amendment will first need to be approved by the Tasmanian Planning Commission. 

Councillors Tim Cory and Stephen Geale and deputy mayor Bridget Archer voted against the amendment, which was lost 3-6. 

Regent Square is believed to be discussed at a Tasmanian Heritage Council meeting today regarding its entry to the Tasmanian Heritage Register.

Full story in The Examiner 

OCTOBER 18 

Sample of  23 comments ... click here to go to source and read all the comments

Helen J Wood 
Only in George Town would the Council vote against its community wishes and build on a historic heritage site that is an asset to the area. No wonder things are not going so well for our town. When a perfectly good alternate site is available for free, why would the Council not try to reach a compromise and keep everybody happy. It would be interesting to find out why they rushed this decision through so quickly, with little notice of intent, even to their own councillors. This is an autocratic council that needs a conciliator and some professional development to learn how to work with its community and not hold a siege mentality towards the voters. The only reason some of them are there is because there were no alternative people to vote for.



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Henry Turner 
This is a black day for democracy and Local Government.
When a Council Mayor feels it necessary to call police to clear a public gallery, then that Mayor and that Council has lost the plot, and should be replaced by an administrator forthwith.
Georgetown Council is now part of a conspiracy to dupe the thinking ratepayers of their municipality by facilitating this odorous application ahead of their incoming Planning Scheme designed to fit the State Model.
Read the details and the facts about how this application was brought before the Council table today, breaking all of the rules and protocols for the preparation of an agenda item.
Shame Georgetown Council, shame.



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Helen 
The Mayor set a belligerent tone at the meeting from the outset with his preamble. An amendment was duly passed- with no councillor discussion.  An amendment  was voted down to give councillors  further time to interpret the change to the OLD planning scheme- and to leave the planning application/amendment on the table until next months meeting. SUCH HASTE ??, with Heritage Listing in process and well underway. It was very concerning that last months minutes were noted by a Councillor as inaccurate, and not a true and accurate record, and an amendment to include the 'lost minutes' was voted down by most councillors!!!!!. Knowingly passing minutes as being a true and accurate record of a meeting, when plainly they were not, where is The Local Government Association when you need them? Communication breakdown big time between George Town Councillors and the rightly concerned Ratepayers.


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Peter Fahey 
Helen Wood's summary is spot on.  She sums it up very well, and in fact is being charitable.




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Dave Longdon Collapse


We "sell " ourselves on being a the oldest town .With very little remnants to keep this statement true.Yet once again the "Council" railroads through their own agenda.There are alternative sites available.Bring on the next Council election



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