Editorial: Blue Horse Cup – what’s your tip?

THE Council election will held on December 4. Nominations for Councillors opened yesterday and close on November 3. Soon it will be time to chose who we want running the Upper Hunter Shire Council so we thought we’d put together a form guide for the “Blue Horse Cup”.

There has been a litany of “blue horse” moments with this Council and we’d like your help in putting together a list so that when we go to vote, we know the form of each Councillor.

Post your favourite “blue horse” moments on the Facebook thread, email them (news@scone.com.au) or text them (0414 552 474) and we will dig through the Council records to find how each Councillor voted or simply add the item to the ever-growing list of items this Council has achieved in their long five year term.

For example, who voted to spend $15,000 of ratepayers money on a Blue String horse?:

• Voted to buy it: Burns, Brown, Campbell, Collison and Fisher.
• Voted against: Driscoll, Watts.
• Absent: Abbott (was not at the meeting but said she would have voted against).
• Conflict of interest: Bedggood wanted the horse and declared a vested interest so abstained from voting.
• Related story: Blue Horse Causes Blue.

Please add to the list below of Blue Horse highlights below and we will dig through to find who voted for and who led the field on the issues:

• Merriwa Willow Tree Road
• Scone airport
• Upgrades for Scone saleyards – now losing money
• Overpass for saleyards
• Attempt to raise rates
• Petrol station in the flood plains of Scone
• Rezoning Phillip Street
• Changing swimming pool times and ages
• Cassilis sewerage failure
• Aberdeen tree damage
• Bulldozing Murrurundi old hospital for a carpark
• Purchasing Campbell’s Corner

To add to the list:

• Post a comment in the Facebook thread of this story;
• Email: news@scone.com.au, or
• Text: 0414 552 474

It’s time to remember what this Council has achieved.

Elizabeth Flaherty
Editor scone.com.au