Community Engagement Review

Now one for the 'unbelievable, but true' file! A volunteer for a long established community based Unley organisation in Oxford Terrace, decided to do the 'community spirited' thing and allocate an hour of his holiday time cleaning up months of unsightly leaf litter that had collected under the verandah of the organisation's building. Nothing like a bit of 'feel good' community benevolence, you'd think? Not so. Imagine his disbelief (and that of several other residents in the near vicinity) when he was confronted (rather officiously and lacking in, as this page asserts, 'community engagement) by TWO, yes, TWO, UCC administrators, threatening him with a $300 expiation notice for, wait for it, placing leaf litter in the gutter outside the organisation's building. Thing was, said volunteer was half way through his community assistance task and was planning to collect the offending leaf litter in the appropriate bins. If council is fair dinkum about 'community engagement' then I'd suggest some staff in-servicing on 'tact' for the junior clerical staff on their payroll on how they can positively engage with community groups within the Council's boundaries and perhaps less Ebenezer Scrooge diatribe from their junior office staff.

I had a recent unfortunate experience in attempting to communicate with council:
I visited the council office about a year ago to discuss a fine incurred on my rates. Was told to phone in as the responsible person was not available.
I phoned and discussed issue a few days later and was asked to email my request for a review of this fine. About 10 months ago I e mailed, but got no response, so rang the council again and was told that my request had been dealt with.
However, the fine continued to show in my rate notice.
I e mailed again about 4 months ago. And got an e mail response.
The issue was finally resolved a few weeks ago when I got a positive response by e mail.

This has resolved this particular fine, however my original complaint was related to the unfairness of your procedure in fining people who may only be one day late with payment. I know of no other business. That could operate in this fashion. It upsets your customers, does not reflect the cost to council, and is difficult for your staff to support as it is obviously so unfair.

I object to having to provide information to you in order to register - ie nominating my sex and age. Why on earth do you need this?

In my opinion Unley council engages well with the community via email, online surveys, workshops, info in the Messenger Press, newsletters from councillors and the willingness of council members and staff to engage with rate payers at events.

Your email advising of this forum was missing the "h" in "http" at the start of the address. You are going to annoy a lot of people with this mis-hit.

My fundamental position is that the council is not living within property owner means. Rates have always outpaced CPI since I moved here 15 years ago. Get real. Councillor's slush fund for projects - no way. Use money to attract spenders - yes. But outlaying on something a councillor can claim as a benefit for a community segment is not an appropriate use of rate payers money if you are taking more than the community earns.