The City of Bunbury has defended its decision to have a Bunbury Geographe Chamber of Commerce and Industry representative sit on the Policy and Review Development Committee.
One representative from the chamber will join four City of Bunbury personnel on the committee.
The group was designed to review all City council policies within a two year period and facilitate the development of new policies.
The council voted in favour of the idea during its first 2018 meeting on January 23.
Several councillors expressed their concerns about the Chamber’s involvement in the committee.
Bunbury Mayor Gary Brennan said the Chamber representative would “add value” to discussions of policy and local law.
“I can understand the argument that some councillors put up but the majority of the council was relaxed with having a person from the Chamber sitting on that policy committee,” he said.
“The Chamber has been collaborating with the City on the new Town Planning Scheme so they will have a very strong interest in that.
“Leases and licences is another area where their expertise is valuable and we’ve also reached out and invited various representatives of clubs to sit with us and discuss that.”
Mr Brennan said the Chamber will now pick a representative to sit on the committee.
The committee focuses on the rules and regulations of the Local Government Act 1995.
