Ed, Council’s ongoing efforts to promote the false suggestion that local people support their newest attempts at massive rate rises are now stretching Councils own Codes of Meeting procedure beyond their written limits. Council wants to be able to assure IPART that local people support and understand Councils 26% SRV. The truth is very different. My name is Annie Dodd, and I followed All of Councils rules with regard to Petitions. My Petition against Councils rate rise was on Council ‘Special’ Petition form. My Petition contained contact numbers and email addresses for those that signed. My Petition identified the Principal Petitioner and met Every Other Rule demanded by Council Councils Own Code of Meeting Practice states: “(7) The petition shall be reported in the MINUTES of the meeting at which it is tabled in the following manner: a) A petition on (insert the wording from the beginning of the petition) was tabled at the meeting. It was signed by XX number of petitioners.” Council even have an agenda item which includes Petitions. So what did Council do? Councils Minutes of their Ordinary Meeting on the 27th of June 2017, under the agenda item for Petitions on page 2 shows: “TABLING OF REPORTS AND PETITIONS – NIL ITEMS” There is NO reference in Councils Ordinary Meeting Minutes to the Petition signed by 287 people in just one day. To find any reference to the Petition opposing Councils latest Special Rates Variation one has to sift through dozens of Councils attachments to Councils Minutes and locate: ITEM 13.035/17 Attachment A. Then scroll through the 50 pages and find (in very small print) at the bottom of page 23: PETITION: 287 Signatures Subject of Petition – We reject councils 26% SRV Action Requested – Council needs to find another way to balance their books and be fit for the future (sic) apart from damaging one of the poorest economies in NSW.” Councils only reply was an oblique reference claiming further reductions in services were offered in Attachment O as if that is the only possible alternative. This is ridiculous. Council claims that local people don’t engage with Council and this is how they treat the people who do. With such poor engagement and representation, is it any wonder the Valley’s future is so bleak? The last thing a poor economy needs is more increases in rates and taxes. I have written to Council and asked that the Petition be dealt with as stipulated in Councils own rules. So far, Council have not even written a reply. Annie Dodd, South Grafton