ECHO7250: QUESTIONS TO MAYOR & ALL COUNCILLORS

ON THE AGENDA COUNCIL MEETING THURSDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2023

QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES:

The following questions, submitted in writing to the Council on 30 January 2023 by Ray Norman, have been answered by Duncan Campbell (Acting Manager Governance).

Questions:

I now ask if Council will now, and with urgency:

1. Put in place the necessary regulations and protocols that will enable Council, Councillors, and management to do in open council what they are collectively inclined to do, and apparently have already done in camera and closed council; and

2. In doing so, impose financial consequences upon constituents who persist in attempting to communicate inappropriately with Council or Council officers on any matter; and

3. Any financial imposition upon a sanctioned constituent being $1,000 plus and determined at arms-length by a Magistrate;

Response: With the exception of the Council’s Customer Service Charter, the management of customer interactions is generally an operational matter, not a strategic matter for a Council decision. The Council has established protocols with which to manage requests and enquiries made by members of the public. Those protocols accord with the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993 (Tas). The City of Launceston's Customer Service Charter and Unreasonable Customer and Complainant Conduct Policy include further information. Both of these documents are available on the City of Launceston's website. The intent in applying these documents is to ensure that the resources and assets of the City of Launceston are appropriately managed. There is no intent to impose financial consequences on a constituent in the administration or exercise of these documents.

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