GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality's upcoming ordinary council meeting will be held in the Pacaltsdorp Community Hall today, 28 May, when the multi-year budget for the 2026/27 to 2028/29 financial years will be tabled.

Municipal spokesperson Chantèl Edwards said the decision to have the meeting in the community hall forms part of a broader effort to decentralise council proceedings and bring local government closer to the residents. 

"We want to give communities the opportunity to be part of the democratic process and to witness council proceedings first-hand," Edwards said.

She explained that council meetings in community venues are not new; before Covid-19, the municipality had frequently used community halls across the area to host formal sittings.

Attendance at the upcoming meeting will, however, be by invitation only. A select group of residents will be accommodated in a designated public viewing area.

Edwards said the municipality intends to continue using community facilities for key civic events where appropriate, and pointed to recent examples such as the State of the Province Address held in Conville earlier this year. 

"In this way, we are ensuring that we make use of community facilities when hosting major legislative engagements and provincial events that directly affect our residents - effectively bringing government closer to the people," she said.

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