The buck stops …

The newly elected City of Melbourne council has hit the ground running. 

The marketing of the council has been seamless and the Lord Mayor’s office and his marketing and media team has not missed a beat. We are once again being reminded of this with the catch cry “Only in the City”. 

But for many residents and local business owners there’s more to the city than just its marketing. There are deep seated issues to be addressed and increasingly opportunities for innovative change to meet current and future challenges. 

The allocation by the council of portfolios to the Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor and the nine councillors recognises the need to address a range of city challenges and opportunities. They include infrastructure, planning, city economy and business, community and city services, finance, governance and risk, safety and cleaning, tourism and events, environment, Aboriginal Melbourne, creative and arts, education and innovation. 

The allocation of councillor portfolios therefore provides the Carlton Residents’ Association (CRA), residents and local business with the opportunity to direct their issues and interests to a specific councillor and their portfolio responsibilities: melbourne.vic.gov.au/future-melbourne-committee 

This information is useful as it enables us to identify not only the portfolio holder but the responsibilities of each councillor and, therefore, their deliverables both in words and resultant actions. 

We have, therefore, matched the portfolio responsibilities to the Agenda for Carlton priorities. This can be useful in contacting individual councillors: carltonresidents.org.au/cra-2012/com

And another thing …

While we are on about the responsibilities of the newly elected councillors it is worth looking back to the promises they made during the election. I am reminded of the media grabbing long lunches, free coffees, the sale of the Regent and a rate freeze. 

But, more importantly, I am interested in the range of promises from across the successful candidates including increasing affordable housing, delivering 4000 new homes, the appointment of a Melbourne transport coordinator, support for the homeless, the creation of 28 new parks, support for start-ups and the Arden Innovation Precinct to name but a few!

As in all council elections our electoral provisions do not deliver a “winner takes all” so the election promises rely on how the elected Lord Mayor, Deputy Lord Mayor and councillors collaborate and agree on those promises made during the election that impact on the city’s future as a sustainable, equitable and thriving city.

For starters, the promises that do require collaboration and thus council agreement include affordable housing initiatives, reducing energy bills through a community-led bulk renewable energy scheme, expanding green open spaces, collaborating with the Cities of Yarra and Port Phillip on mutual opportunities and challenges, and building and maintaining community facilities and services. 

But there is more …

CRA will be inviting council portfolio holders to respond to our priorities as set out in the Agenda for Carlton to ensure the buck starts with them and then stops with the council.  

We seek to encourage a City of Melbourne as a whole where councillors share the responsibilities of council and are accountable in their delivery to residents and local business. We seek actionable responses to matters of interest and concern.  •