COMMENT: Horror show as council fumbles CBD closure
SOUTHERN Downs Regional Council has given a master class in how not to host an event.
The council has turned commemorating the 100th anniversary of the March of the Dungarees into an absolute horror show.
Initially, Palmerin St in the Warwick CBD was to be closed from 4pm to allow for a re-enactment of the famous march.
But without any consultation, Southern Downs Regional Council changed the closing time to 2pm.
The only way business owners and shoppers found out about the change was a flashing sign that the council placed at the end of Palmerin St on Friday afternoon.
No one was surprised when business owners reacted angrily.
Disaster appeared to have been diverted when council and the Warwick Chamber of Commerce negotiated for Palmerin St to be closed from 3.30pm.
That was until bureaucracy intervened.
The council yesterday held a special meeting to vote on the new time, despite a group representing the CBD businesses agreeing to the change.
And after another meeting, another debate and another round of councillor grandstanding it was decided to close Palmerin St from ... wait for it ... 3.30pm.
This kind of fumbling erodes the community confidence in its elected representatives.
Not only do Warwick business owners deserve better, but so does the legacy of the March of the Dungarees.
