Resident Panel flagged

During her address to last month’s SRA AGM, Lord Mayor Sally Capp revealed her desire for the City of Melbourne to establish a Residents’ Panel.

Cr Capp told the meeting that the panel would provide a vehicle for community representatives across the city to formally present and manage local issues with councillors and council management.

The initiative would be the first of its kind since council established a people’s panel in 2015 to help inform its 10-year plan, and comes as a further illustration of the new Lord Mayor’s ambitions for a more transparent and consultative council.

“It was great to hear directly from Southbank residents and I was delighted that they are supportive of my proposal for a Residents’ Panel,” Cr Capp told Southbank Local News.

“If implemented, [such] a panel could help us understand what residents care about how we as a council can work to make Southbank a better place for people to live, work and visit.”

“Over the coming weeks I’ll be continuing to talk with City of Melbourne officers about the details, including who will be on the panel and its focus, and I’ll keep residents informed of the details as they emerge.”

SRA president Tony Penna said any initiative that enhanced consultation with residents was welcomed and that SRA would hope to be a voice on any such panel.