Councillors to select choice few for WALGA delegation

A decision over who will represent the Town of Port Hedland at a major WA local government event is set to be made tonight.

The 2017 WA Local Government Convention and Trade Exhibition will be held in Perth at the start of August and the Town is obligated to have two elected members act as proxy voting delegates at the convention to vote at the Western Australian Local Government Association annual general meeting.

The theme for this year’s convention will be “members first” and officers have urged councillors to send a “few” of their number to the event with the community to “benefit from any relationships that are initiated and ultimately contribute to achieving the objectives of the strategic community plan”.

Mayor Camillo Blanco and Deputy Mayor Troy Melville and Town chief executive David Pentz have also been invited to attend an “exclusive” forum to “initiate discussions with many influential government members” to be held the day before WALGA’s AGM.

In the agenda for tonight’s council meeting, officers said the mayor and chief executive would schedule meetings with government officials to optimise the time in Perth.

The Town was asked to submit a prioritised list of government departments it would like to meet with and has been told to expect to meet with at least one choice.