“It’s not about saving money – it’s about Warringah Council undermining SHOROC, an organisation that works well, to instead ensure its own agenda at the expense of others” Pittwater Council’s General Manager Mark Ferguson stated emphatically today.
These comments were in response to a resolution from Warringah Council at its meeting last night.
This resolution stated, that at the next SHOROC (Shore Regional Organisation Of Councils) Board Meeting, the Warringah Mayor bring forward the following proposal that “the Administration component of SHOROC be immediately abolished.”
Warringah’s reasoning for this is that SHOROC’s current model of operation is “inefficient, costly and ineffective”.
Pittwater Mayor Jacqueline Townsend argues that “this partnership of State Government, Northern Beaches Councils, and SHOROC has to date delivered outstanding results for our region, realising major infrastructure funding for significant public transport, road upgrades, and of course the Northern Beaches Hospital”.
Cr Townsend supports this stating “SHOROC has received the highest honour for excellence in NSW Planning in 2014, winning The Planning Institute of Australia’s President’s Award for its Shaping Our Future strategy.”
Mr Ferguson said that this resolution to abolish SHOROC is a clear example of Warringah showing its unwillingness to work with others. It is another example of Warringah’s misinformation campaign.
“Quite clearly Warringah Council is forgetting its previous rhetoric of uniting the Northern Beaches utilising its key values of respect, integrity, teamwork and responsibility, which is quite laughable as it is directly undermining an organisation which has clearly shown its capacity to work strategically with Pittwater, Manly, Mosman and Warringah Councils” Mr Ferguson added.
“We would lose the grants and other revenues, and hide the costs alongside Warringah’s ‘Smoke and mirrors’ campaign, Mr Ferguson stated.
“If they need to save money, maybe they could redirect some of the money they are wasting on their current misinformation campaign for one mega-council,” he said.
Media Release from Pittwater Council
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