ALL four Eurobodalla Ratepayers Association (ERA) councillors, Milton Leslight, Liz Innes, Neil Burnside and Peter Schwarz, did not turn up to the extraordinary meeting on Tuesday to vote on their rescission motion against the Broulee biodiversity certification strategy.
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At the extraordinary meeting yesterday, 47 people, including construction workers, representatives from the Broulee Beach Estate and Banksia Village, piled into the council chambers to witness a verdict on the controversial issue, only to be disappointed.
As Councillor Gabi Harding had a conflict of interest on the matter she could not vote and the meeting quorum was not met.
Only one ERA councillor was required to attend the meeting for the quorum to be met.
CEO of the Banksia Village retirement and aged care facility for the past 16 years Phil Armstrong spoke on the strategy and said it was not the “optimum solution but the only solution”.
“Banksia purchased additional land, approximately four hectares, in 2001 with the belief it could be developed as residential land,” Mr Armstrong said.
“A change in legislation will not happen in the short-term, if at all.
“We are now at the stage where the last section of our land, which is planned to house approximately 20 villas, can not be developed until a solution can be found to the ecological issues of the Bangalay sand forest.”
Mr Armstrong said he had concerns that the biocertification strategy might be “another solution that does not come to fruition”.
“It is time to draw a line in the sand so that this is the only solution that is workable,” he said.
“I have some concerns that this has become a political game and frankly I am not good at games.
“I ask with all sincerity that the rescission motion either be withdrawn or defeated so that Broulee can continue to be developed.”
Cr Rob Pollock said during the meeting that it was “the lowest act I have ever seen in my 27 years as a councillor in the Eurobodalla Shire”.
“A lot of people have put a lot of faith in the four councillors that did not show up,” he said.
“There is no doubt about it, this is blackmail but there is no other solution.
“This is the only game in town.”
Cr Danielle Brice said the ERA not showing up was “embarrassing”.
“They put forward a rescission motion and they aren’t even here to vote on it,” Cr Brice said.
The motion will now be considered at another extraordinary meeting, to be held before council’s ordinary meeting on Tuesday.
