Three thousand shire residents support a State Government inquiry into Eurobodalla Shire Council.
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That’s the Eurobodalla Ratepayers Association’s claim, after gathering 3000 signatures in just two weeks - equal to 20 per cent of the shire’s voting population.
The ERA members say they hadn’t planned to take their case to the State Government until recently.
However they cite recent events and growing community dissatisfaction as having left them with no other option.
They’ve submitted an in-depth submission to Local Government Minister Barbara Perry. They want her to investigate allegations of poor staff management, questionable financial decision-making, community alienation and a breakdown of council governance at Eurobodalla Shire Council.
Within their submission is an 11-page “confidential” document that is restricted from publication.
It contains 82 comments from ratepayers and will be submitted with 3000 signatures from shire residents.
ERA’s Geoff Plews says the situation is spiralling out of control, and fast.
Unless things change, he believes shire residents will simply stop paying their rates.
“Community goodwill along with community facilities are slowly evaporating,” Mr Plews said.
Council’s top-heavy staff structure heads the association’s gripe list.
The ERA says council’s general manager has the support of six directors on salaries exceeding $150,000 each.
ERA member Ron Gifford says this is “excessive”.
“How good can an organisation be if the general manager is working 50 to 60 hours a week and paying for six directors underneath him,” he said. “Either he’s not working that hard or he’s paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for six directors who are not working that hard.”
The association was scathing of Mayor Fergus Thomson and his close working relationship with council’s general manager Paul Anderson.
“The consensus is that the mayor is being led around by the nose by the general manager,” Mr Plews said.
“The mayor has no qualifications and doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
The Eurobodalla popularly elected Cr Thomson in 2008, but the ERA says it’s the Local Government Association’s responsibility to ensure he works effectively in that role.
“The Local Government Act sets out the terms of his duties,” Mr Plews said. “He was to provide council with guidance and implement initiatives, none of which has happened.”
Thousands call for inquiry into council
The Eurobodalla Ratepayers Association provided the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner with a copy of its submission.
We have highlighted the crux of their argument below.
Inquiry must be independent
Not satisfied with a Local Government Association (LGA) inquiry, the Eurobodalla Ratepayers Association has called for an “independent” inquiry into the Eurobodalla Shire Council.
They want Local Government Minister Barbara Perry to approve an independent person to “inquire, report and provide recommendations ... on the efficiency and effectiveness of the governance and management of Eurobodalla Shire Council”.
But, they don’t want that person to be associated with the LGA.
“The inquiry need not be a specialist in the workings of Local Government,” their application reads, “there are adequate resources inside council to give advice relating to State and Federal requirements, regulations and procedures.”
They want the inquiry consultant to be appointed from the private sector and be overseen by a steering committee.
And, they want a report delivered within six months.
The ERA submission centres around eight points:
On Monday ERA member Margaret Milner said community dissatisfaction had provided the impetus for change.
“We hadn’t planned to be acting now, but there is so much momentum in the community that they are almost pushing us along.”
What do you think? Comment below or email editor.baypost@ruralpress.com.
