Just reading that would unsettle many, after all it is not something that sits easily.

Nobody likes to think people should be begging in Australia, one of the world’s richest countries with a generous welfare safety net by global standards.

Sadly though it has become common in our capital cities to see handwritten cardboard signs, pleading for money, sitting next to the downtrodden.

On the Border, poverty has been more hidden so it is novel for a council to be asked to tackle beggars.

But now Wodonga Council finds itself in that position after being presented with a petition asking for beggars to be moved on.

Already some councillors have expressed unease with the terminology, a month before the issue is formally addressed by the city.

Mayor Anna Speedie observes that the council needs to consult with police and gather facts surrounding the situation to ensure it is in a position to make an informed decision.

The experience of Melbourne City Council, which came under pressure to tackle homeless beggars at the time of the Australian Open tennis tournament, illustrates some of the complexities around the issue.

If move-on measures are taken, is the problem just shifted and is the core reason for begging being tackled by such an approach?

If no action occurs does it embolden beggars to harass shoppers and deter people from using High Street?

Whichever way you look at it begging is unpalatable.

But the fact a resident feels that aggrieved by the practice and has received the support of others means that Wodonga Council will need to address the behaviour.

The petition presented to the council has 64 signatories.

For a city of 35,000 that is not a big number, but Wodonga Council has shown recently it is prepared to act on petitions no matter their size.

At last week’s meeting, the council decided to change the car parking conditions around Wodonga Senior Secondary College in response to a 24-name petition.

The connotations of begging in the heart of the city are more serious for the social fabric of Wodonga and will require a nuanced approach.