It is little comfort to someone that is waiting to build their dream home that CCC is the most efficient based on the number of fulltime staff when they are lagging behind all the other councils and taking 84 days on average to approve a DA. Isnt it then a simple matter to emply more staff? Double the number of full time staff and halve the approval time? Or is that just logic? Mayor Davey has been there for 28 years so she must no the reasons by now why council is so inefficient.

It does now seem that Tony Kelly's decision to strip planning powers from Cessnock Council could have been politically motivated. No doubt developers have been rushing to take advantage of development decision via this appointed Planning Panel. A report card should be published on how many development applications have been refused by this imposed body. I am guessing that the vast majority will have been approved, and those knocked back, if any, will most likely have been from small first time developers. Something for the media to follow up as the results could be most interesting.

Minister Kelly's decision was always politically motivated,

The good news is that after another 2 months or so, we won't have to put up with Kelly, his infamous Part 3A powers, or his venal government.

Kelly's problem is that his ALP mates no longer control Cessnock Council.