He noted that a public meeting has been called for Wednesday June 6, 2001 to discuss the document.

He also noted that the Economic Development Working Group had worked hard since the beginning of the year and the draft is the result of this hard work.

He recommended that the report be received.

Cr Sturgiss took issue with the report and to four statements in particular.

To the statement that the Westpac branch will closed from its current three days per week operation he responded that the branch will be immediately reopening as a five days per week in-store branch. To the statement that family farms are in crisis he responded that family farms are better off now than they have been for a long time. To the statement that groups should get together to co-ordinate their activities he that everyone interested in the community is already fully committed to the things they’re doing and won’t have the time. To the statement that people are not happy with the Council he responded that people are just not interested; that everywhere he goes, people don’t want to hear what the Council is doing.

Cr Waters said the report noted that there was a perception that the Council was not listening and what has been said here will only confirm that perception he said.

Cr Harrex added that similar things had been said in an earlier report but the Council wasn’t listening then, as it’s not listening now. We just keep shooting the messenger. Make no mistake, people are saying these things and if we don’t listen we’re out.

Cr Ellis wanted to ask the consultants [who prepared the report] how many people had been contacted, because he hadn’t [been contacted].

For Councillors Cassillis, Harrex, Hart and Waters. Against Councillors Brown, Ellis and Sturgiss. The motion that the report be received was then put and won.

The Mayor, Cr Hassall said he was bound to cast his deliberative vote in favour of the status quo [acceptance of the recommendation].

Cr Ellis asked that his vote against be recorded.