Central Coast Council elections are just around the corner, and we’re leading up to a time of great change as we welcome the return of Councillors.

A lot of information will be shared, news stories published, and interviews conducted. We’re fortunate to have 77 people registered as candidates, and that gives voters choice and options.

It also means we will be receiving a lot of campaign information, and it’s important that residents consider what’s being proposed, and the impacts these proposals may have.

Ideally, candidates will be concerned about matters that benefit the whole of the Central Coast and align with the work that’s been done to restore Council’s financial situation.

Voters must be aware of promises being made during election campaigning that may potentially affect financial resources or compromise projects currently being delivered.

All Councils follow an integrated planning and reporting process that starts with listening to what the community wants, and results in a program of works and budget being developed that supports this, within the resources available.

Candidates whose campaign focuses on a single issue may be making ‘unfunded’ promises, and there’s no guarantee these promises will be supported by the full Council and go on to be funded in a future budget.

To ensure people can make informed decisions, the NSW Electoral Commission has been running a ‘Stop and Consider’ campaign, that encourages voters to check the facts about electoral information they see or hear. The campaign reminds voters to think about the information that’s being presented and consider whether it is reliable, current and safe, and this is great advice. You can find out more about this on their website.

I also urge voters to go one step further and consider if a candidate’s platform will benefit the whole community and support their vision for the future.

Rik Hart, Administrator