From Robert D: Regarding Policy Determination & Acess to information on Council Representations to State Govt.

NOTE: Bolded in maroon by me
Forwarded Message
From: Robert Dobrzynski <Robert.Dobrzynski@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2014 02:37:25 +0000
To: Ray Norman <raynorman@eftel.net.au>
Cc: Richard Mulvaney <Richard.Mulvaney@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Subject: RE: AGAIN: Regarding Policy Determination

Good Afternoon Ray,

You ask in your email below what resources I rely upon to establish the veracity of my declaration under section 65 of the Local Government act 1993. I am of course able to avail myself of the expertise available within the Council's employment to advise on the majority of matters. In instances where the requisite expertise may not be in the employment of the Council I am able to engage such specialist external advice such as appropriate to the circumstances in my judgement. This is not limited.

In regard to the Council's representations to the State Government in relation to QVMAG, I do not believe it is appropriate for me to make available to you details of discussions that the Mayor and I may have had with the Premier, Treasurer and Minister at this time.

Regards

Robert

Robert Dobrzynski
General Manager
Launceston City Council
M 0417 158 541
T 03 6323 3102
F 03 6323 3493
www.launceston.tas.gov.au <http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au>

From: Ray Norman [mailto:raynorman@eftel.net.au]
Sent: Thursday, 12 June 2014 11:10 AM
To: Robert Dobrzynski
Subject: AGAIN: Regarding Policy Determination

Dear Robert,

I would appreciate your response to the question I’ve put to you in regard to Section 65 of the Act in my earlier email below. It’s been put to me that currently the corporate sector and civic administrations relying upon the veracity of such, let’s call them assertions, are the ones that are failing to compete as is being demonstrated by the flagging wellbeing of say Telstra,  Australia Post and various other ‘utilities’. Now I’m sure that you’ve formed a view on all this and I’d be interested to hear from you on it given that you are working on the coalface as it were.

Regards,

Ray

Ray Norman | <zingHOUSEunlimited> | PH: 03-6334 2176
EMAIL 1: raynorman@eftel.net.au • 40 Delamere Crescent Trevallyn TAS. 7250
WEBsite: http://www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com

Forwarded Message
From: Ray Norman <raynorman@eftel.net.au>
Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 17:46:28 +1000
To: Robert Dobrzynski <Robert.Dobrzynski@launceston.tas.gov.au>
Subject: Regarding Policy Determination

Dear Robert,

Yesterday I was able to visit Town Hall and view the Register of Delegated Authorities albeit in a less than best practice format and acknowledged as such by yourself I believe. I must say that before coming in I was alerted to Council’s Community Engagement Policy fulsomely endorsed by you. I did find it a very good document, but more to the point an edifying document of the highest order relevant to my current research. I refer to: http://www.launceston.tas.gov.au/upfiles/lcc/cont/_council/community_engagement/engaging_with_the_community/2187_lcc_community_engagement_framework_r_jan_2013.pdf  Congratulations for its development are in order!

That said, viewing the Register raises a few issues:

1. A number of the Delegations are quite old and in the scheme of things this would seem to raise various concerns;
2. It is apparent that viewing the Register is not encouraged or is the taking of copies albeit that I was able to clarify this with Mr Davis; and
3. It would not be unreasonable to draw the conclusion that some Delegations may now be redundant or for whatever reason may have outlived their veracity or usefulness.
   

I recall one of the adjoining Councils informing me that it was standard practice the declare all Delegations redundant and reinstate those seen as being required on the agenda of each new Council. My advice is that this is regarded best practice in the corporate world and it makes very good sense that it be seen that way.

You may recall advising me that “ Section 65 of the Act indicates that the Council cannot decide on any matter that requires the advice of a qualified person (in effect any matter) without the General Manager's certification that such advice has been provided.”  Now that your ‘Policy Determination Authority’ in regard to the QVMAG is clear and unambiguous, and given that you invoked Section 65 of the Act when I wrote first on this subject, a question arises. That is, upon whose, or what, independent qualified/expert advice do you rely upon in regard to QVMAG Policy determination? Indeed, by way of comparison, given the breadth, diversity and scope of the LCC operation, what resources do you employ, rely upon, to certify advice’s relevance/veracity in accord wit Section 65 in regard to any matter?

Flowing on from all this there is the issue of representations to the Stat Govt. regarding its ongoing funding for QVMAG.  The MGAB has requested access to any written presentation to the State Govt. and it is apparent that this request is outstanding. If such a submission has been made, in accord with LCC’s Community Engagement Policy, how might I as a ratepayer and member of the QVMAG’s Community of Ownership & Interest get access to it?

I look forward to your response at your earliest opportunity.

Regards,

Ray Norman

Ray Norman
<zingHOUSEunlimited>
The lifestyle design enterprise and research network

PH: 03-6334 2176
EMAIL 1: raynorman@eftel.net.au
EMAIL 2: ray@7250.net
40 Delamere Crescent Trevallyn TAS. 7250
WEBsite: www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com <http://www.raynorman7250.blogspot.com>

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