Here we go again with another plea from Byron Shire Council for disaster funding.
Wilsons Creek Road west of the school has been neglected for years by council with ongoing efforts aimed at trying to make us residents think something is happening.
I wonder if [council’s engineering chief] Phil Holloway and his staff have bothered to drive past the school and see for themselves the total disregard for basic maintenance that his engineers and planners pretend is underway.
This latest series of slips is more due to verges and drains not being mowed, sprayed or cleaned out over many years. As for the asphalt that has lifted near the school, this is simply due to a poor asphalt design in front of a known overflow point.
Us residents get a rubbish service for our rates. That’s it, we have no water, sewer, decent roads, fancy street signs, parks etc. Most of us are long term residents of the shire and deserve better as our rates are paying for some these incompetent staff at council.
Take a look at any council construction work. Erosion and sediment control are completely absent with tonnes of waste entering the Wilsons Creek catchment daily yet farmers, builders and others are fined for doing the same.
As for public safety, the way in which Wilsons Creek road has been now put on hold after a very minor clean-up is disgraceful and a serious accident waiting to happen. Inch-thick mud and sediment are now compacted into what surface was left and the morning dew alone creates and major risk to motorists. Not too mention the various large rocks and undermined road edges that have been ignored by the clean up crew.
Us residents don’t care about funding as we have paid many times over for nothing so far. The recent works were not funded by council so where does the money go? Oh yeah that’s right peace love and mungbean crap, building sports fields that are not used, and throwing money to virtually any cause that requires a meditation session or a prayer to some voodoo god.
The only way to fix our road is to make a start and sort out the money later. Isn’t that the job of elected councillors and the staff?
I say bring on KFC, CSG, holiday rentals, quarries, mines everything, at least that way we can see how we are getting screwed. At Council it’s all la la ha ha and then run and hide when it’s time for accountability.
This is no disaster it’s the result of a council that cares for nothing except tourist revenue and good news stories.
I have notified EPA and RMS of my concerns.
Brendon Luke, Wilsons Creek
Big issue, connected to others throughout the Shire. I note the last meeting of council 2014 adopted the People’s Charter for Better Planning. The Charter is online.
I also see there is a revival of strong active residents groups throughout the Shire. Does Wilson’s Creek have a group? If not, start one! Contact the Byron Residents Group, Ewingsdale or Suffolk groups for a helping hand. Start athttps://www.facebook.com/ByronResidentsGroup and more at http://westbyron.org/
Young residents have started a group, contact BYRA go to http://www.facebook.com/byronyoungresidentsalliance
See you around! Be great to talk!
We have an online group covering the landslip and other issues. We had a Project Reference group with Council too. We certainly have people in our valleys with the skills to set up a Community Association, and have had them in the past. Better if Council and State government fulfilled their core responsibilities, rather than residents though.