Bega Valley Shire Council has defended a decision not to release the results of a community engagement process on a much loved bridge that is set to be replaced.
The survey apparently found 70 percent of 528 respondents favoured maintaining a single lane timber Cuttagee Bridge.
The figure only came to light after the Save Cuttagee Group lodged an F-O-I request with the council.
But Mayor Russell Fitzpatrick says the group has misunderstood the purpose of this engagement activity.
“It was never the council intention to publish results of the survey as a stand alone document,” he said.
“The intention was for interested people to provide targeted information on the three design options referenced in the funding deed.
“So this information gained was primarily for the use of designers to assist with the design of the three concepts.”
A report is expected to be provided to councillors for the August Ordinary Council meeting next week.
