Know your rights- A "How to..." guide.

PLANNING OBJECTIONS:

When submitting a planning objection please note that it requires five independent households' objections to trigger a planning forum. In the forum at least one of your ward councillors is required to be present, the Whitehorse Planning Officer and sometimes the developer or his representative and all objectors that wish to be heard. The strongest way to voice your objection is to be proactive and attend these forums so that your concerns will be well documented; it gives an opportunity for residents to question the intentions of the developer. This is not a forum where a decision will be made, but it greatly assists the planner officer and developer to understand what the residents’ needs.

http://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/docs/Planning%20Objection%20Submission%20Form.pdf

PETITION TO COUNCIL:

A petition to council is a document signed by a group of people. Petitions are normally used to make a special request of Council in relation to a particular issue. Anyone can send a petition to council.

www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/Petition-to-Council.html

SPECIAL COMMITTEE OF COUNCIL:

The Special Committee of Council meets one week before the full Ordinary Council. This is the only time that residents may speak at council to present their issue. Read the following page carefully to understand the procedure.

http://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/Public-Submissions-Guidelines.html



ORDINARY COUNCIL MEETING PUBLIC QUESTION TIME:

At Ordinary Council Meetings members of the public can submit questions to Council as part of a public question time. The form incorporating the question/s must be lodged in the question time box by 7pm on the night of the Ordinary Council Meeting. Individuals must be present at the meeting at the time the question/s is read out. Be aware that the Special Committee of Council meets one week before a full Ordinary Council meeting. If residents want to speak at a meeting about planning issues then they have five working days to notify council before the Special Committee Meeting and may speak for only three minutes per person. A group of residents would be well advised to divide points amongst speakers to cover aspects of the issue.

There are important rules and guidelines that must be followed so allow time to read the website carefully and discuss directly with a council officer any restrictions that may prevent you from putting forward your case.

http://www.whitehorse.vic.gov.au/Forms-Council-Meetings.html