Tamworth’s Jim Roberts asks whether the councillors of the Tamworth Regional Council are employees of the ratepayers or a board of directors?
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One only has to review a few months of The Leader to see numerous questions being posed to the Tamworth Regional Council (TRC) from concerned ratepayers and to wonder just what the TRC is.
Questions on the dam and removal of a number of residents?
There has been speculation about why these residents have to be moved, including some about the dam’s integrity. Possibly some investigative journalism may be able to provide some answers.
Questions on why a park has been sold to a commercial enterprise? I would have thought that the public areas belong to Tamworth ratepayers.
If the TRC has the authority to sell off public areas without rate- payers input then perhaps this should be reviewed.
Why was a park sold to a commercial enterprise? Possibly some investigative journalism may be able to provide some answers.
Questions on why a jail is being considered (but no plans) by the TRC. Again one would have thought a council is elected to look after the interest of the ratepayer. By no stretch of the imagination can the placement of a new jail in Tamworth be seen as in the interest of the rate payers. Possibly some investigative journalism may be able to provide some answers.
Questions on why there was a trip to China? The TRC response of encouraging investment is so unbelievable that it does not warrant consideration. The only benefit of building a five-star hotel would be to the building company that won the contract.
What affiliation has the TRC with building companies?
Surely they can do their own touting for investment. I look forward to the response from TRC on the questions posed by Mr David Spong on October 18. Possibly some investigative journalism may be able to provide some answers.
A hay-making facility. I can see the TRC response to this. We just supply the land and water to the person/company that has leased the facility. It’s up to them how they utilises the facility. Yes I can see all the other hay-making, ratepaying businesses not thinking that they have the TRC as a competitor in their business. Possibly some investigative journalism may be able to provide some answers.
Hitting a sector of rate payers with new charges under the guise of education. Septic systems as fundraisers. Possibly some investigative journalism may be able to provide some answers.
One has to wonder just what the TRC is doing.
Either council is not responding to questions, or hiding behind commercial in confidence statements. How, when a statement was made there were no plans for a jail?
Or the responses they give are typically political and provide no real facts: i.e; does the TRC have plans for a new jail. A 10-year-old could have provided a more direct question than that light weight one.
Is the TRC looking after the interest of the rate payers?
If so why are so many rate payers asking questions.
The TRC appears to be acting like a board of directors with a majority of shares, with a supposition that, if not acting in the rate- payers interests they must be intent on only their own interests
For clarification, investigative journalism is where a journalist does not take answers at face value but digs to find the truth.