Russian-born councillor raises concerns about not being transparent, as Wodonga Council opts to keep briefings secret

The transparency rebuff on Monday night came at the same meeting councillors continued to deal with the fallout from the aborted bid to build a Dan Murphy's bottle shop in Junction Place.

The council accepted a notice of motion from mayor Kev Poulton to take no further action on its planning decision in December, seek a meeting with Development Victoria and an officer's report on future plans for Junction Place.

Both decisions on Monday night were made on the casting vote of Cr Poulton after 3-3 votes, with councillor John Watson an apology.

Councillors Olga Quilty, Ron Mildren and Libby Hall voted for the draft briefing policy, which would have seen those forums made public to a gallery and via streaming.

Russian-born Cr Quilty obliquely referenced her homeland in making her case for greater openness.

"Everyone knows my background, not striving for transparency, community inclusion, democracy has lots of risks, maybe long-term not short-term and it's a slippery slope," Cr Quilty said.

Cr Hall noted councillors voted 6-1 in November to bring briefings out from behind closed doors and said the Junction Place situation showed "the community want us to be more open and transparent about what's goes on in council".

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Cr Poulton, deputy mayor Graeme Simpfendorfer and councillor Kat Bennett rejected public observation of briefings.

The latter two cited legal advice and Cr Bennett said it provided "a safe space to ask those dumb questions to request more information".

If Wodonga had adopted the new policy it would have been similar to what occurs with Albury Council, where briefings are available for public viewing

Cr Poulton did not talk on briefings, but gave a lengthy address for his motion on Junction Place.

He said his intent was to start a conversation with the community about the former railway land and give clarity to the council's position.

Cr Mildren criticised shifting from December's move to reinstate the comprehensive development zone status for Junction Place, saying it gave an element of strength to the council's position.

The city's director planning and infrastructure Leon Schultz said neither the comprehensive development zone or activity centre zone, as already exists, prevented a liquor store bid.

"A bottle shop application, a planning permit application, either under the CDZ or under the ACZ is not a prohibited use," Mr Schultz told the meeting.

"It's my assessment and that of my team's that if a bottle shop application were to be submitted it would be considered."

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