One of the big challenges I knew I would face when I was elected mayor of the Dubbo region would be the difficulties related to the sheer size of our new regional council and being able to fully appreciate the local issues for each community.
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None of our previous mayors have ever had this issue before so there are no local case studies to follow.
Now comprising of an area of 7,536 square kilometres (the former Dubbo City Council covered just 3,245 square kilometres) and occupying a large part of the central western plains of New South Wales, the size and distance of our new local government area certainly challenges the definition of the word ‘local’.
New Area, New Challenges
The Dubbo Regional Local Government Area has a population of 51,429 people and our residents outside of Dubbo and Wellington are scattered right across the region. Each one of them deserves the opportunity to be able to speak directly to their council representatives.
As mayor, I have to be accessible to residents in the villages like Eumungerie, right through to localities in the old Wellington Shire like Mumbil and Stuart Town.
The localities are sparse and include; Eumungerie, Ballimore, Wongarbon, Geurie, Elong Elong, Mumbil, Stuart Town, North Yeoval, Dripstone and all that’s in between.
Looking at the size our new map I have come to the conclusion I will have to adopt a very different and unorthodox way of being the region’s Mayor.
So I’ve started the regular Mayor’s Village Visit.
Face to Face Discussions
Most of these little villages have a central location where locals are at ease, people gather and discussions and good times are had by loyal village locals who love their patch.
Sometimes it can be their village hall or even the local pub.
The general idea is simple.
A few weeks before a village visit we select a location, send out some notices that the “mayor will be here” on the time and date specified.
The idea is to simply be in the Village, the hall or the pub for a number of hours and allow the locals to drop by and have a chat.
So far I have completed a number of these visits and each time locals were there eager to chew my ear about their council and their patch. So far every visit has had unique and interesting issues to deal with.
Most times when a resident comes to see me it’s a straightforward issue that I can deal with.
Then there are the curly ones that need investigation and consideration by the relevant council officers.
Not every answer I give back to the locals are the ones they want, but, I still think it’s important to be able to meet people in person on their home turf to hear their issues.
Obviously some of the big issues are road conditions and mobile phone coverage - more on that frustration in another column.
This new Dubbo Regional Council that as residents we all own, is going to take a lot of discussion and negotiating to get the formula right for how we spend the budget we have and what projects and initiatives take priority.
I believe the best way to do that is through face to face contact. I look forward to meeting many more locals on visit to your village in the new year.