On the Local Government News Roundup for 16th December 2023,
A councillor injured after a council meeting in Melbourne turns violent;
A new CEO for Bass Coast, and a sudden departure for an Adelaide CEO;
Baw Baw Council cleared of wrongdoing after an independent investigation;
A Sydney mayor dismissed and barred from civic office for five years;
Calls for a NSW Council to be sacked after the sudden removal of its general manager;
A local council meeting in Ukraine disrupted by a grenade attack from within;
and the Canadian councillor sanctioned for attending a council meeting from a golf course.
The Local Government News Roundup is brought to you by the Victorian Local Governance Association, the national broadcaster on all things local government.
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Stories in this episode (with links where available):
Victorian Roundup:
A meeting of Glen Eira City Council has turned violent after a decision was made to close three council-run early learning centres.
Mayor Anne-Marie Cade said the councillors, officers and community members were put in danger at this week’s meeting when a person threw an egg from the gallery at councillors.
Cr Jim Magee, one of three councillors targeted in the attack, sustained an injury when a large piece of egg and eggshell became embedded in his left eye.
He told the Roundup that it took until 11 am the next morning to remove the material from his eye.
He said it was the worst reaction to a vote on Council he had witnessed in his 15 years on council.
Mayor Cade condemned the behaviour as absolutely unacceptable.
She ended the meeting immediately when the incident occurred to ensure the safety of those in attendance.
The Herald Sun reports that the council’s final meeting for the year will be held online next week for security reasons.
It’s understood that the Council and councillors are cooperating with Victoria Police, and assault charges are likely to be laid.
An arbiter has reportedly ruled that Hobsons Bay councillor Antoinette Briffa breached the councillor code of conduct in a tweet and a press release naming MP Moira Deeming.
The Age reports that it has seen a determination, which has not yet been tabled by the Council, that the tweet and press release, made while Cr Briffa was mayor, failed requirements for treating members of the community with dignity, fairness, objectivity and respect.
The comments related to Ms Deeming’s widely publicised presence at a rally and her support for a petition against gender-neutral toilets.
While the arbiter, Joanne Mazzeo, found that the code had been breached, she did not impose any sanction on Cr Briffa, noting that she was measured and respectful toward the arbiter and the applicant, Cr Daria Kellandar, during the proceedings.
Cr Briffa told the Age that she would continue to proudly support, defend and advocate for LGBTIQA+ people, including trans women.
Bass Coast Shire Council has appointed Greg Box as its new CEO, starting on 29 January 2024.
Mr Box has been working at Bass Coast for three years as the General Manager of Partnerships, Economy and Culture, and has extensive local government experience.
He replaces former CEO Ali Wastie, who is now the CEO at the City of Greater Geelong.
Mr Box said he was honoured to serve the Bass Coast community and that he would focus on delivering quality services, growing the economy, and celebrating the culture of the region.
An independent investigation into planning and procurement matters at Baw Baw Shire has cleared officers and councillors of any misconduct.
The investigation was requested by CEO Mark Dupe after allegations were made by a former councillor.
While some improvements to processes were suggested, no evidence of wrongdoing was found.
In a statement, the council said it had maintained regular contact with the Local Government Inspectorate (LGI), as well as with the Independent Broad Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC), with both authorities satisfied that Council has not demonstrated any misconduct.
Read the Council’s statement on the matter here.
A call to revisit a Greater Geelong Council decision on Australia Day recognition has been rejected by councillors.
Cr Eddy Kontelj wanted the council to put the matter back to community engagement, reporting a strong backlash from the community over the council’s unanimous decision in May to move citizenship ceremonies and change the way it recognised January 26.
The Geelong Advertiser has reported that the motion was voted down without debate, with just two councillors voting for it.
Yarra City Council will oppose state government plans to demolish 44 public housing towers, including 12 in Fitzroy, Collingwood and Richmond.
Mayor Edward Crossland said this week that the council strongly opposes the privatisation of public housing sites across the City of Yarra and is urging the Victorian Government to maintain existing public housing and to ensure a significant increase in public and social housing dwellings to address the housing affordability crisis.
The state government has introduced a bill into Parliament acting on some of the recommendations put forward by local government.
The bill picks up elements of the Climate Change and Planning in Victoria report commissioned by CASBE and the Victorian Greenhouse Alliances.
MAV President David Clark said planning decisions made today will shape local communities for decades to come, and he said it was great to see that the research has informed a number of the key changes being proposed.
He said the MAV looks forward to the bill receiving cross-party support when Parliament resumes next year.
Victorian Briefs:
Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali has been elected Chair of the advocacy group Regional Cities Victoria.
He was the deputy chair of the group last year and has swapped roles this year with Andrea Metcalf, Mayor of Greater Bendigo, who will be the new deputy.
Bass Coast Shire has abandoned plans for a special charge scheme for Surf Beach Sunderland Bay after the majority of impacted ratepayers objected to the proposal.
The scheme would have paid for road and drainage upgrades, but for now, the council will continue to maintain existing gravel roads and roadside drains.
Latrobe City Council will discontinue the supply and sale of single-use plastic water bottles and straws at Council facilities and events by the end of the year.
The Council’s decision aligns with the state government’s single use plastics ban, and encourages more sustainable habits to help reduce the 130,000 tonnes of plastic that ends up in Australia’s oceans every year.
National Roundup:
SA:
City of Adelaide CEO Clare Mockler has resigned from her position and finished up at the end of business in the same day, 13th December.
Lord Mayor Jane Lomax-Smith said Ms Mockler was leaving for family reasons, and was heading to the UK to support her elderly mother.
Ms Mockler has been with the city for over 20 years, including the past two and a half years as CEO.
Chief Operating Officer Michael Sedgman has stepped into the Acting CEO position, with a comprehensive national search for a new CEO expected to commence in the new year.
Mr Sedgman is a former CEO of the Rural City of Murray Bridge and previously held senior finance roles at the cities of Yarra and Port Phillip in Melbourne.
He is also the President of Local Government Professionals SA and Chair of the Local Government Finance Authority.
NSW:
Canada Bay Mayor Angelo Tsirekas has been dismissed with immediate effect, and disqualified from holding civic office for five years.
Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig confirmed the dismissal after reaching the view that Mr Tsirekas could not continue in office in light of the evidence contained in ICAC’s Operation Tolosa report.
ICAC found that Mr Tsirekas had engaged in serious corrupt conduct leading to Mr Tsirekas’ suspension from 9th November.
Mr Hoenig said the potential prosecution or otherwise of a number of people mentioned in the ICAC report is a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Local Government Minister Ron Hoenig has decided not to dismiss the Upper Hunter Shire Council despite a petition signed by 1201 ratepayers expressing anger and disapproval with the council’s financial management.
The council has experienced significant financial losses at the Scone Airport, Warbird’s Museum, and Scone Saleyards.
It is also under investigation by the Office of Local Government over a road repair project that has left a crucial transport link closed for more than three years.
2NM reported that the Minister has been informed by his department that the Council is projected to remain in deficit for at least another eight years, and that he will be keeping a watching brief in the council’s situation.
Moonan resident Patricia Taylor, who initiated the petition, described the Minister’s response as ‘weak’.
The sacked General Manager of Kyogle Council Graham Kennett says he was undermined by councillors during the current council term, making for a hostile workplace and considerable pressure on him and his family.
And there are now calls from council staff and the community for the council to be sacked.
Mr Kennett told indyNR.com that his contract was terminated on Monday night using the ‘no fault’ clause, just a couple of months after receiving an above satisfactory performance review outcome.
Three of the council’s nine councillors left the meeting without voting on the motion, while one other, John Burley, was excluded from the vote as he is Mr Kennett’s father-in-law.
Mr Kennett said there had been six confirmed breaches of the Code of Conduct by councillors this term and that there would likely be more to come.
Council staff have passed a vote of no confidence in the mayor and five councillors who voted for the termination and called for a public inquiry.
A petition has been launched by a group of residents in local shops calling for the council’s sacking and the appointment of an administrator.
The petition will be sent to the Local Government Minister and a local MP.
Newcastle CEO Jeremy Bath has been cleared of involvement in a controversial letter-writing campaign after an independent investigator found there was no evidence to support allegations that he had incentivised the author of the articles, Scott Neylon.
The result of the investigation was revealed at a council meeting this week, but it has prompted concerns from some of the people named in the letters.
The Newcastle Herald has reported claims that the letters at the centre of the drama were not accessed by investigators, and local MP Sonia Hornery is among those questioning the terms of the reference for the investigation.
She plans to ask the Local Government Minister to make the investigation report public.
Mr Bath has demanded an apology from Ms Hornery, who accused him under parliamentary privilege of authoring the letters.
Ms Hornery says there will be no apology and is refusing to back down from her claims.
(Source: Newcastle Herald, 14 December 2023)
Nathan Hagarty has resigned from Liverpool Council nine months ahead of the next council elections.
Mr Hagarty was one of a handful of councillors elected to state parliament in March this year and says he needs to focus on his new role having been recently appointed the government whip in the legislative assembly.
The Daily Telegraph reports the decision leaves the council with a majority of Liberal councillors, and it is being urged to keep the position vacant and avoid the half-million dollar cost of a by-election.
Lake Macquarie councillors are advocating for better pay, arguing that they should be on par with their Central Coast counterparts.
They believe that the current population-based system for determining pay levels is arbitrary, and they are pushing for a reclassification to a Major Strategic Area, alongside the Central Coast.
The council plans to submit a proposal to the Local Government Remuneration Tribunal, advocating for a reduction in the population threshold from 300,000 to 200,000.
They also support an increase in fee levels for mayors and councillors across the board, citing the significant commitment and skills required for serving on a council.
Newcastle Herald, 13 December 2023
Willoughby Council has welcomed the cancellation of the Northern Beaches Link Tunnel and says it will continue to prioritise public and active transport options for residents.
It said the cancellation of the Beaches Link project will have implications for Willoughby and the surrounding LGAs, and the council is keen to ensure the impact on the environment is minimised, and that thoughtful active transport is promoted to better connect cycle ways and walking paths.
QLD:
The Sunshine Coast Council has acquired 120 hectares of former cane land at Coolum and plans to restore it to natural wetlands.
The restoration aims to improve water quality in the Maroochy River and provide habitat for wildlife.
The project is part of the Blue Heart initiative, which focuses on sustainable floodplain management in the Maroochy River catchment.
The $6M land purchase was made possible through the SEQ City Deal.
WA:
A contentious glamping development at Quinns Rocks has been narrowly approved by Wanneroo City Council.
The $8M development has been opposed by residents and a neighbouring surf lifesaving club, and PerthNow reports its approval comes more than a decade after the council voted to close and decommission a former caravan park on the site.
A proposed 21-year lease requires final approval from the WA Planning Commission.
In the City of Joondalup, a plan to build a series of rock groynes has been put on hold after a council consultation returned overwhelming opposition from residents.
97 per cent of more than 5,000 respondents said they didn’t want the stone barriers along five kilometres of coastline, according to a report from ABC News.
The proposal was aimed at halting erosion along the popular beaches, but residents don’t want them for reasons including impact on beach use and water sports.
The council will now do further community engagement on coastal management and research alternative adaptation options.
A by-election has been set for March in the Town of Port Hedland to replace Cr David Eckhart, who resigned in November.
The postal election will cost nearly $75,000 and will held on 8th March.
National Briefs:
Tweed Shire Council has reappointed Meredith Dennis OAM as deputy mayor at an extraordinary meeting this week.
The first-term councillor was unopposed for the position and will continue to support Mayor Chris Cherry until elections in September next year.
At Edward River Council, Marc Peterson has been elected as deputy mayor at an extraordinary meeting.
His appointment follows the recent resignation of Paul Fellows.
Tasmanian councils Kentish and Latrobe are calling for applications for a shared general manager, continuing an arrangement that started in 2010.
Current GM Gerald Monson is retiring midway through next year.
LG Management Solutions is managing the recruitment process, with applications due by 29th January.
Townsville Council will employ two dedicated painters to clean up graffiti as part of an updated public graffiti management policy adopted this month.
The increase in resources comes after graffiti clean-up costs have risen 34 per cent, costing the council $94,000 so far this year.
International Spotlight:
UKRAINE:
26 people were injured at a local council meeting in Ukraine this week.
The meeting in the village of Keretsky, near the border with Hungary, was disrupted when a man threw multiple grenades into the midst of those attending the meeting.
BBC News reports that it was a village councillor who threw the grenades, resulting in six people being seriously wounded.
While no motive has been revealed, the council was having a heated discussion about its budget at the time of the incident.
The meeting was being broadcast on Facebook Live when the incident occurred.
CANADA:
A Canadian councillor who participated in a council meeting while on a golf course has been sanctioned.
CBC reported that Calgary councillor Dan McLean was found to have violated the council’s code of conduct and that he was not doing city business while golfing.
Integrity Commissioner Ellen-Anne O’Donnell said the conduct was, on balance, contrary to the best interests of the city.
The integrity commissioner recommended a moderate sanction, including a letter of reprimand from the mayor and the requirement that he write a letter of apology.
Cr McLean told the media that he regretted his actions but believed he was being singled out when other councillors joined meetings remotely from other activities.
It is the second time Cr McLean has been sanctioned after violating health orders in 2021 by not wearing a mask at an event.
UK:
Housing targets for councils in England are set to be relaxed next week, prompting concerns from developers about a slowdown in the pace of housing delivery.
The Guardian has reported that government minister Michael Gove will give councils more freedom to set lower housing targets.
Some critics say the move is a capitulation to nimbyism that will lock a generation out of home ownership.
It’s believed the changes will allow councils to lower their housing targets if they can demonstrate a current population-based formula would change the character of the area.
The City of Nottingham looks likely to have commissioners appointed due to serious concerns about the finances and governance at the council.
The Local Government Minister Simon Hoare is reported to have flagged the move which follows the council’s declaration of effective bankruptcy, and concerns that necessary improvements are not happening fast enough.
A fourth commissioner has now been appointed at Woking Borough, another council dealing with financial strains. Former council chief executive Richard Carr will be managing director commissioner, coming in as the authority’s CEO Julie Fisher prepares to step aside in April.
Sir Tony Redmond has also been appointed as the new lead commissioner at the authority.
In Wales, a council has been fined 2M pounds after the death of an employee.
The 57 year old man was working on a road resurfacing project for Newport City Council in 2019 and was hit by a passing tractor and killed.
BBC News reports that a court has found that the council did not take all reasonably practicable steps to organise a safe working environment.
The council pleaded guilty and was fined 2M pounds and ordered to pay costs.
Police have seized an e-bike and two e-scooters in Coventry city centre, as a new ban on riding in pedestrian areas came into effect.
According to a BBC News report, the ban was introduced by Coventry City Council following complaints of people riding e-bikes and e-scooters too fast in pedestrianised parts of the city centre.
NZ:
A New Zealand West Coast council has introduced a reduced limit on the number of cats allowed in households this week, despite originally proposing an increase in the limit.
Buller District Council has passed a new by-law requiring residents to seek written approval for more than two cats over the age of six months, according to media reports.
The council had originally proposed an increase of the maximum number from three to four but instead reduced the number after receiving submissions, including evidence about the harm caused by cats to native birds and wildlife.
USA:
A city council in Washington state has received 19 applicants for a vacant councillor position after the former mayor resigned last month due to a scandal involving the use of massage parlours.
Kennewick City councillors will decide on the replacement to fill the seat until the next election, and will separately decide on who should take on the mayoral position.
The Tri-City Herald reported that the council is expected to spend all day Friday interviewing all 19 of the applicants.