At Council's first meeting in the new meeting room in the old library last Thursday, a group of residents attended to speak their piece on the Business Paper listed item 6.3 Roads to Roecovery - Charley Forest Road. As usual, the names of those wishing to speak to a specific agenda item were taken, and several identitfied this issue to speak about. However when the item came up, Cr Ian Marjeson raised a point of order that the issue should not be discussed as there was no Recision Motion for a previous motion to start work on the project in question. Supported by Cr Raynolds and Cr Bransdon, Cr Marjeson also put that since work had already begun, then there could be no Recision Motion.

The Mayor and General Manager agreed that this was correct Code of Meeting Practice procedure. The group of around 20 residents then left the meeting, where a verbal scuffle allegedly took place.

The people attending were those for and against the spending of $190,000 on work to Charleys Forest Road, which after administration and works would result in just 700m of road being sealed. The issue has been heated amongst users of the road.

The Director of Engineering Gordon Cunningham had brought the issue to the meeting, as he had received a petition asking to use the money otherwise on safety. Mr Cunningham was keen to have the matter resolved saying that "We are at a crossroads with the work...So far, only around $3,400 has been spent."

However by the time of the meeting, work had already commenced.

(Letters P2 & 7.)