COMMUNICATION IS KEY: Cabonne Council deputy mayor Ian Gosper.
COMMUNICATION with ratepayers is vital to running a good council according to Cabonne Council deputy mayor Ian Gosper in the lead-up to Saturday’s local government elections.
“I think it’s very important to involve our community,” he said.
Cr Gosper heads up a group in the upcoming election and said while he is the only person on his ticket to have been a councillor, all of them offer fresh ideas for ratepayers.
“We have some good people with some good business sense and youth on the group,” he said.
“I don’t think anyone should stay in council for too long, at this stage I’ll only be doing another four years.
“You need a good mix of people on council but you need to work as a team.”
Cr Gosper’s group includes Michael Hayes, Marlene Nash, Jamie Jones, Graham Smith and Ralph Chrystall.
Road maintenance and local government reform are at the forefront of issues according to Cr Gosper.
“Local government reform will be a big issue and it’s something that will be a big issue whether we like it or not,” he said.
“If there is better ways to do it we should do it.”
Cr Gosper said the council’s 2000 kilometres of roads throughout 11 towns and villages were a key issue for ratepayers.
“Someone has to look at the outlying areas and I believe we do that pretty well,” he said.
Amalgamation with Orange City Council would not be beneficial for Cabonne’s ratepayers, according to Cr Gosper.
“City and rural bases councils are different and look after different things, somebody’s got to look after our rural areas and who better than a local council to do that,” he said.
“I really think Cabonne has got a good future, we’re financially strong.”
“Bigger isn’t always better.”
Cr Gosper said the Macquarie pipeline may not be the answer to securing water for Orange.
“It’s a controversial issue and I know Orange has got to do something about securing water for themselves but I think it’s got to be a regional issue,” he said.
“I think it’s got to many ifs and buts about it at the moment ... we need more research.”
Cr Gosper said a pipeline to Burrendong Dam would be a better option and offer a more secure water source.
“Everyone in the area does need to sit down and look at something for the future, not just a short-term fix,” he said.
The local government elections will be held this Saturday September 8.
nadine.morton@ruralpress.com
