Councillor Don Palmer Providing Local Leadership & Working for You

Unley Oval Picket Fence consultation has now closed as my email inbox is being inundated with responses direct to me and my fellow councillors.

We may be seeing the start of a new means of people responding to our public consultation processes.

I have received a dozen plus emails on the Unley Oval Picket fence consultation, both for and against. As I read these emails I get the feeling that many do not know what they are responding to. Again I find, when checking our communication, we have failed to properly communicate what is being offered. That is another storey however for today’s separate blog.

Advice from a member of our staff indicated to me not that long ago that there was a particular trend to the responses they have received and that is on the side of supporting the proposition. The trend from my inbox is the opposite however, with the majority against it.

This raises the question to me whether or not the people emailing the elected members have put their thoughts in through the designated channel or simply choosing to by pass the official channels and influence elected members direct.

I will find out soon enough of course in this case when our admin prepares their report and I compare their list of respondents to that I have received from.

So, as I push my campaign for better communication skills from within Council, I wonder if we will have to review how we receive responses and what credence we put on emails direct to elected members.