Costs a driving force
Wednesday 2 May 2012
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Costs a driving force
![Bob Manning Bob Manning](/fileadmin/_migrated/pics/costs_article.jpg)
Bob Manning's Unity Party will dominate the seats on the newly formed Cairns Regional Council after six candidates won their Division in Saturday's election.
Their relationship with independent Division 10 councillor Julia Leu, and its consequential impact on the Douglas region, is yet to play out.
"I think at this stage it's impossible for me to know if it will be easier or harder," Cr Leu said.
"I don't know most of the new councillors and I've only met Bob Manning a couple of times. Bob seems like a nice person...I'm looking forward to the challenge of working with a new council."
Mayor Bob Manning said regardless of the make up of the Council there is a responsibility on individuals to unite.
"Ideally the Council will work as a unit. While there will be a Unity team of effectively seven out of eleven (positions), there's a responsibility on everyone's part to work together.
"At the end of the day the corporate responsibility is to the Council as a whole, and if we act in the interest of the Council then we'll act on the best interest of the Divisions and the individual."
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During his campaign, Manning announced his support for the Douglas region stating Port Douglas was the jewel of the Cairns region and added there was "nothing attractive about Cairns."
One thing is for sure, the Manning led council will be looking to run the most economically efficient organisation possible.
"We campaigned on the fact that we would operate the Council with the lowest cost base possible," Mayor Manning said.
"We said we would operate a cost effective Council so when we benchmark ourselves against other councils that we're at the front of the pack.
"Some decisions are made where you don't see a return on investment, but what you aim to do is provide those services and facilities at the lowest possible cost."
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