When administering planning decisions, our Council should give equal value to each and every citizen they represent. Council recently made a decision to forward the 199 submissions and 1250 signatures objecting to the Club X shop to local parliamentarians ‘to demonstrate the views of a significant proportion of our citizens…’ (Cr Gray, News, 8/12)

When the planning process took place for the rezoning of Parkside Gardens (The International Village Site), which was declared recently by Heritage Victoria to be of local heritage significance, in just a few weeks more than 3,000 signatures were collected and there were 475 formal written submissions of objection to the rezoning from people living in this municipality.

Council ignored these, reasoning that these numbers do not demonstrate the views of a significant proportion of our citizens.

If you think the Council's logic is difficult to follow, you are not alone.

Wouldn't you think that if 199 submissions is considered to demonstrate a significant proportion of citizens, then 475 submissions is even more significant?

This also applies to the 3000 signatures which were collected for keeping Parkside Gardens for public use, compared with 1250 signatures against Club X having been declared to be a significant representation of citizens?

This is not a logical way to conduct planning processes, but this is what happens when political 'spin' gets in the way of the genuine representation of citizen's views.

Our organisation commends the local anti-pornography group on its efforts. We know how much work is involved in giving the community the democratic opportunity to express an opinion through the formal planning processes, often within restrictive time frames.