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Sunvale Primary School Site - future development
All of a sudden postcards have appeared on the Council internet home page (http://www.brimbank.vic.gov.au/) and now an online petition! (see screen shot above)

If Council wishes to support the community on this issue, that is great, however it needs to learn to how to consult its community properly. Council launches into such a campaign and has yet to notify councillors of the design, rationale or evaluative processes. Where did this overnight campaign come from? What should the signatories of the online petition expect from signing on?

Council, the organisation, is clearly unable to see the need to build community trust, nor invite open consultation with the community. I want to see every community consultation from Council be an active-listening and trust-building exercise. It's the least we need to build good governance and good community outcomes, and attract the most active and community-minded people to contribute (to join and balance out the valuable contributions of the loud, angry ones).

I will again put forward a motion I have put forward previously calling for immediate consultation with the Sunshine community on this issue so that Council can form a genuine partnership in its approach to this campaign.

We will not be successful in this campaign if we cannot work together and genuinely listen to the needs of our community.

Local area forum - Sunshine
I attended the Local area forum discussions at West Sunshine Community Centre, which was the chance for community members to discuss progress on the Community Plan.

Some of the areas covered include:
· Local Area Plan, from Brimbank Community Plan
· Sunvale Primary School site future use
· Brimbank Planning Scheme amendment
· Sunshine Station rebuild
· West Sunshine Community Centre Redevelopment
· 150th celebrations
Unfortunately the Forum did not cover the issue of the urgently needed facilities review and fees for community meeting space!

Civic Centre Debacle
Council has reacted to the community backlash about this issue by holding a series of 4 sessions over the next few weeks. At the first of the PR sessions organised by Council to sell the business case for a new civic centre, the community told Council in no uncertain terms that they do not want it built on Errington Reserve.

My postion continues to be that we should not be building a new civic building until such time as we have implemented our Creating Better Parks Strategy.

While I am not opposed to Council taking out a loan, I think it should be spent on funding the upgrade of our parks across the municipality over the next 4 years and the same with the cycling and walking strategy.

These are urgent as far as our community priorities go and now more than ever. We need to create local jobs that provide sustainable outcomes for our community.

If we were ready to build a new centre, and I certainly agree we need an arts and cultural complex, then using the project to activate a civic precinct is a great idea. But we need parks first and Errington Reserve should not be an option!

Notice: Local Area Forum - Sunshine
Remember to come along and have your say on local Sunshine issues and hear about the progress of the community plan.
All Welcome.
30th July at 7pm
Glengala Community Centre.