Call to dump portfolios

GEELONG mayoral candidate Graeme Robin wants to do away with councillors’ portfolios, instead making their area of responsibility their ward community.

Mr Robin said the councillors were not experts in the particular fields for which they were given portfolios, and simply acted as spokespeople for the department involved.

‘‘However, they are expert in their communities,’’ he said.

‘‘They know their communities, they know the people, they know the problems and, better still, they know the solutions to those problems.’’

Presently, the 12 ward councillors are each allotted a portfolio covering council services or spheres of influence.

For example, Cr Cameron Granger’s portfolio is heritage, and Cr Stretch Kontelj looks after major projects. Cr Andy Richards has a wider scope, looking after transport, infrastructure, and parks and gardens.

Mr Robin said many locals believed the city council was driven by the business community, rather than the local community.

The Ocean Grove candidate said each councillor was the conduit between the ward and City Hall.

‘‘This is his/her strength and expertise and it is this strength that I want to harness, protect, enhance and nurture,’’ he said.

‘‘Each community will create their wish-list but with priorities, so that the most important wish is at the top of the list and the least important at the bottom.

‘‘ Someone has to do that sooner or later, and best it be done at the community level.’’ MEANWHILE, fellow Ocean Grove mayoral aspirant Stephanie Asher has said that jobs, planning and reputation were the region’s three critical weaknesses.

Ms Asher said it was hard to get a job and the urban sprawl across the region was frightening.

‘‘Add to that the fact that Geelong does not have a good reputation — not least as a place to do business or get a permit,’’ she said.

‘‘By building job opportunities and trialling the best processes around sustainable planning we can start to do business.

‘‘It’s not about spending money or making populist promises, it’s about being disciplined in what we do and how we do it. Focusing on the right things.’’

Ms Asher said everyone she had spoken to in the community wanted a council that was honest, open to discussion and fair.