The fall of local government

The curtain rises on the fall of local government.

Mr Ian Reynolds, Premier Mike Baird's representative and administrator of the new Central Coast Council, has said council meetings were to be short, with no code of conduct, conflict of interest, countering opinions from councillors and assured support from council's staff.

There is no reason to hold council meetings.

Input from the public will be restricted with all decisions favouring the government and Premier Baird.

How many of the now 300,000 residents will have the opportunity to voice opposition at the limited number of council meetings now on a stopwatch?

Realistically, local government does not exist.

Governance is now under control of Premier Baird and his representative Mr Reynolds.

This will continue until September 2017.

The writing was on the wall with the former Gosford Council, with meetings getting shorter and shorter and an agenda that held little of interest to councillors or the general public.

Long term council goers noticed the decline, with only the most dedicated attending Gosford Council meetings regularly.

Where to from this administration?

Letter, 27 May 2016

Norman Harris, Umina