Community forum behind schedule

The City of Melbourne is yet to announce its revised proposal for a Docklands community forum.

At the Docklands Co-ordination Committee meeting on March 20, council CEO Kathy Alexander undertook to come back with a revised suggestion by the end of May.

The council and Places Victoria (PV) are keen to establish a community forum as part of a replacement model for the co-ordination committee, which everyone agrees delivers little value.

Docklanders told the council and PV they wanted a model (pictured right) which gave them real input into the decision-making processes which affect Docklands.

A model whereby a properly-resourced forum headed by a local Docklander chairperson and an as-of-right membership for peak bodies with input into the City of Melbourne’s meeting cycle was popularly supported.

Failing that, the appointment of the heads of Docklands’ stakeholder groups (Destination Docklands, Chamber of Commerce and Community Association) to the council/PV’s steering group would also be a way of ensuring the voice of Docklands is not only heard, but is acted upon.

A council spokesperson said a revised suggestion was close to being presented to the Docklands community.

“A revised proposal has been established and is currently being finalised between Places Victoria and the City of Melbourne,” the spokesperson said.

“We intend to make the details of the proposal available on the City of Melbourne’s website around the end of May or early June, at which time the attendees of the Docklands Co-ordination Committee meeting 20 March will also be informed directly.”