Ray Smith – Clarence Valley meet your candidates

By Tim Howard

The Clarence Valley Council has gone into caretaker mode ahead of the September 14 election.

It’s given 17 community members, including six current councillors to stand for election.

The Northern Rivers Times has given all 17 a chance to introduce themselves to the electorate.

Sixteen of them have grabbed the opportunity. Phillip Provest did not reply to the invitation.

Ray Smith

Former Grafton City Council general manager Ray Smith has a wealth of local government experience behind him in his tilt for a role on Clarence Valley Council.

I have been married to my wife Donna for over 40 years and we have four children, Jessica, Ben, Scott and Jake all of whom attended school in Grafton and we have five grandchildren, Ayla, Pablo, Luedi, Reza and Idris.

I moved to Grafton in December 1992 to take up the position of general manager of Grafton City Council after just over 20 years working in major Sydney Councils.

I have been a Rotarian for over 30 years, a Justice of the Peace for more than 50 years, former Chairman of the Clarence Valley Life Education Unit for 10 years and I have been actively involved in many community events over the past thirty years.

With over 50 years of experience as a local government leader, I bring a unique blend of skills, knowledge, and expertise to the table.

Equipped with a strong academic background in political science and extensive experience working with local government agencies, I have developed a deep understanding of the complexities of local governance and the challenges faced by local communities.

My strong communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills have helped me to develop effective strategies for improving public services and promoting community development.

Additionally, my ability to build strong relationships with stakeholders, including elected officials, community leaders, state and federal government representatives and residents, has allowed me to create consensus and drive positive change.

I was awarded the Public Service Medal in the 2020 Australia Day Awards for service to local government in NSW.

I believe that I have the local government knowledge and experience to be an effective councillor and to be able to make a positive contribution to the future of the Clarence Valley.

If elected I will be aligning my actions and decisions with the Clarence Valley Community Strategic Plan focusing on the five objectives of Economy, Leadership, Infrastructure, Society and Environment.

My other emphasis will be on creating a teamwork approach to ensure that the best decisions are made for the benefit of the community.

Questions

Ahead of the September 14 local government election we have asked all 17 candidates a series of questions testing their response to some of the major concerns of the community. Rates and what the council does with the money is a perennial issue.

Rates

1. Can you guarantee voters that you will not support a special rate variation (SRV) above the annual rate pegging limit in the next term of council?
2. If council can’t increase income via a rate rise, what can it do to balance its books?
3. How can councils help ratepayers with the cost of living issues facing communities?

Answer 1: No. I cannot guarantee voters that I would not support a Special Rate Variation in the next term of council and If I were to support such an increase, I would need to be convinced that the additional rate income was essential for maintaining current services and facilities.

What I can guarantee is prudent financial management and an assurance that council’s expenditure is based on the best value for the ratepayer’s dollar and that every dollar is spent in accordance with council’s adopted budget.
Additional rate income can assist council in building reserves for future challenges such as natural disasters or unexpected infrastructure needs.

Answer 2: Council needs to match its planned expenditure with its anticipated income, this is the core of proper budgeting.

Council’s 10-year financial plan needs to reflect and align with the Clarence Valley Strategic Plan and by adhering to this plan council will ensure that the long-term goals of the community can be achieved.

Answer 3: There is not a great deal that council can do directly to reduce the cost of living as council’s main responsibility is the provision of adequate services and facilities.

However, council can continue to provide funding, through a range of grant programs, that support small business and other community groups, it can put in place strategies that can achieve affordable housing options (e.g. Draft Housing Strategy), council can also ensure that its current policies on various fees and charges comply with NSW Government guidelines and are applied uniformly across the Valley.

Read about all the councillors in this weeks edition of The Northern Rivers Times. For more 2024 Local Elections News, click here.