Peter, please read some of my comments I have nothing but praise for two councillors as for the others I reserve my comments, as for the CEO and directors, where the foundations commence I could write a short story on them, they tell lies, which I have proved. As for the general staff of the council (the coal face workers) that I have dealt with over the past years I could not speak highly enough of and I have in fact written letters in to the editor to show that.

Peter, As you state' "I believe this group of councillors we voted in are good, sound and successful businessmen and women of Bendigo, who unfortunately are being used as puppets by a few overpaid puppet masters in the back room.", the question begs, Why are the councillors allowing themselves to be used as puppets - particularly 'silent puppets' inasmuch as allowing the C.E.O. get away with not revealing the full cost, or at least current progressive cost, of the Hargreaves Mall 'redevelopment / fiasco'? As little else seems to work for dissatisfied ratepayers expressing their views - I thought the analogy used by Mr Smallpage was most relevant. I have come to the conclusion that the COGB, in some, not all areas, is a joke. Councillors have a largely thankless job to do and will never please everyone - but they offered themselves to represent residents of their ward at least, and should also have the entire COGB ratepayers and residents interests at heart. As should the CEO and senior managers. Sadly there are obvious failures in these 'key performance' areas.

Surely what is needed is more than mere inspection of the foundations. Any sign of damaging decaying residual refuse needs to be extricated and some serious underpinning is required. We need to find and engage a suitable contractor. Further If indeed our current elected council is such a fine upstanding group of finger on the pulse type citizens as Peter Lesuey suggests how does a massive waste of time, money, threat to safety and affront to commonsense such as the Nolan street tram stop represents get to the stage of completed construction without a single councillor questioning its validity and merit and raising the issue at a council meeting thus placing it on the agenda for discussion. Evidently the puppets are not so free thinking and are content to have their strings tugged at will by the evil puppet masters.

Peter I'am afraid the foundations that are under our council are unsuitable to be built on, just as part of the Jackass Flat housing estate, because the water table is above 1.5 metres below ground level due to all the dribble that comes out from the C.E.O., directors and senior staff.