Council turns back

By Bridget Brady
KAREN Baxter’s mother always told her it was polite to face her audience.
And the Casey councillor wants to change the seating arrangements at council meetings so she can do just that.
The Four Oaks Ward councillor suggested the set-up of council meetings be adjusted so all councillors and council officers faced the gallery. At present, and as has been the case for the past 12 years, councillors have their backs to the gallery at meetings, looking towards the mayor, chief executive and council officers who face the gallery.
“It’s so everyone can see our faces and see who we are,” Cr Baxter said. “Ever since I was a little girl the tables had to be set up in such a manner.”
Cr Baxter said she knew of other councils that had a seating arrangement that allowed the public to see their civic leaders.
But not all councillors supported the idea. Springfield Ward councillor Lorraine Wreford said the sentiment behind the idea was good, but possible antagonising from members of the gallery could make difficult decisions even harder.
“I don’t want to be distracted while doing the business of council,” Cr Wreford said.
“It would make it much harder to make an impartial decision.”
If it were a question of accountability, Cr Wreford said she would be open to the idea of webcasting the meetings, as is the case in neighbouring council Greater Dandenong.