ABOLISHING parking meters in the hospital precinct and stopping “exorbitant” spending in the City of Ballarat is at the top of the latest North Ward council candidate’s agenda.
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Ballarat born Robert Edward Smith announced he will be standing as a candidate at the council election on October 27. Mr Smith said he was compelled to throw his hat into the ring following a recent council decision to send three delegates to Austria for the World League of Historical Cities conference.
“Why send three when you could send one for a third of the cost?” Mr Smith said. “This is yet another overseas travel junket courtesy of the ratepayer.”
Mr Smith welcomed moves to implement rate capping and said the community was fed up with the council’s “excessive” rate rises and lack of transparency in decision making.
“The exorbitant cost of the aquatic centre’s 50-metre pool which the community never asked for was the first ominous sign that this council makes decisions based on vested interests and their own personal vision of what Ballarat should become,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said he had no political party afflictions and was not afraid to take existing councillors head on in his bid to be elected. Removing parking meters near the city’s hospitals was at the top of his list.
“Nobody chooses to be sick, nobody chooses to have a medical issue requiring hospitalisation and they shouldn’t have to pay to park their car around the precinct,” he said.
Mr Smith works for a travel company and as a professional writer. He vowed to work for in the public’s best interests. He said the flawed Civic Hall process and Black Hill Pool saga was another area the council failed. He called for “questions without notice” at council meetings allowing for a right of reply once councillors have responded to a resident’s query.
“Some councillors have been incredibly undemocratic in how they have governed,” Mr Smith said “They have governed like a federal cabinet, making decisions behind closed doors then trying to sell their message or decision to the public.”