The recommendations from the Bronte Catchment
Citizens Jury were presented to Waverley Council's Planning
and Environment Committee on Tuesday October 16th 2001.
Project Manager Roberta Ryan and two members of the Jury
co-presented the recommendations to the Committee. They were
received extremely well. Please see below some comments from
Councillors on the process and the recommendations.
It was recommended by the General Manager and Council's
Executive Team to Council that they:
1. Receive and note the report and presentation from the
Jury.
2. Write to each Jury member thanking them for their
participation in the process and outlining the steps from
here.
3. Note that subsequent reports will be received evaluating
the Citizens Jury process and analysing the resourcing and
other requirements of all recommendations.
The note supporting the submission of the Recommendations
to Council said "Without pre-empting those detailed
reports, the Citizens Jury was a very positive process and the
recommendations address the key issues in stormwater
management in a considered way."
The detailed reports from officers will be presented to
Council during November and December. The Bronte Catchment
Project will present an evaluation of the Citizens Jury along
with an analysis of the value of the model in other contexts.
The Mayor is keen to engage with other government agencies to
further develop this analysis.
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The Project was discussed for over an hour and a half, with
free ranging ideas about sustainable environmental outcomes,
and fundamental issues concerning democracy. Some quotes from
Councillors about the Jury and the recommendations:
Cr Paul Pearce ( Mayor -Lab) - Very pleased with effort
jurors put in. Shows capacity of getting the community to
analyse information and come up with a raft of
recommendations. By getting involved and moving
decision-making away from Council and back into the community
- raised awareness and get increased ownership of the issues,
lots of interest and lots of great ideas generated....Taking
local decision making to the next level.....As a pilot this
was extremely successful.
Cr Moscatt (Lab) - I think this is fantastic. This process
crosses all political bounds.
Cr Sally Betts (Lib) - Recommendations are really terrific,
do-able, affordable, almost beyond our wildest dreams. Amazing
job.
Cr Mora Main (Deputy Mayor - Greens) - The most valuable
lesson is to see the innate wisdom in the community. This
shows we can affect the environment very directly.
Cr Richard Davidson (Lib) - Congratulations to the jurors.
Very well prepared plan in front of us.
Cr George Newhouse (Lab) - Very valuable process, very
beneficial.
Kim Anson - General Manager - Recommendations are
achievable and the process was inspiring. The recommendations
include principles that can be applied across the LGA.
Paul Andersen - Director of Public Works and Services -
Recommendations are outstanding and implementable.
