Grant mayor removed as principal spokesperson for council
A South Australian council has gagged its own mayor and forbidden him to talk publicly — and they’ve given three reasons why.
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A South East council has taken the extraordinary step of removing its mayor Richard Sage as its principal spokesperson, due to breaches of its charter of expected behaviours.
Internal tensions have also lead to the council taking on its fifth chief executive in only 18 months.
The decision to remove the mayor’s speaking rights was made at a special meeting of council this week, where it was decided that elected members would instead act as principal spokespersons depending on the members’ individual skills, knowledge and background.
The selection of a council spokesperson would be determined by the council’s chief executive.
The meeting was called to address three instances where council say Mr Sage breached the charter of expected behaviours:
AN interview with Triple M radio on September 23, which council claims is a direct conflict with its charter that no elected member or staff provides commentary to media outside of a discussed and agreed position on key strategic matters.
Concerns were also raised that Mr Sage’s comments about a previous chief executive were inappropriate.
A FURTHER interview with television program Landline at the Glenburnie saleyards, located just outside Mount Gambier.
As well as raising concerns the interview was conducted without council approval, further issues were raised that there was no induction to the site and that stock agents were moving livestock while filming was happening, leading to potential safety issues.
NOTHING about either interviews being in the mayoral diary.
One of the council’s charters is that all mayoral appointments, events and meetings go through the executive assistant and are logged in the mayoral calendar.
Acting council chief executive Jane Fetherstonhaugh said tensions had been brewing between the mayor, who is in his third term, and council for more than a year, leading to the council undertaking a cultural review in April.
“Council, with the help of a facilitator, sat down and agreed on a charter of expected behaviours,” she said.
The summary of the cultural review highlights the “tinderbox” nature that existed in areas of the council.
Ms Fetherstonhaugh has been in the acting chief executive role since April, when the former CEO David Singe’s contract was terminated less than a year into a five-year contract.
She said of particular concerned that Mr Sage was speaking to the media on matters that had not been addressed by council.
So when she was offered the chief executive position, Ms Fetherstonhaugh said she would only accept the role if it came with a non-negotiable condition that the mayor commit to following the charter.
When the non-negotiable condition was not accepted by the elected members, Ms Fetherstonhaugh declined the role.
“I believed the condition, that the charter behaviours be met, was quite reasonable,” she said.
She will now go back into the deputy chief executive position she has held for the previous 11 years.
New chief executive Darryl Whicker, from the Flinders Ranges Council, starts with Grant on October 28.
Acting Local Government Minister Rob Lucas said it was a serious step for the council to remove the mayor as its spokesperson.
“But ultimately the decision about who to appoint as a council spokesperson is one for council,” he said.
“The State Government is undertaking a comprehensive reform of the local government sector which aims to improve the behaviour and conduct of elected members.
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“There’s no doubt that some elected council members’ behaviour is out of line with community expectations and we are hoping to address this issue with our reforms.
“I would invite councils and stakeholders to provide feedback to the discussion paper the State Government has released for consultation with ideas about how to provide a better framework to improve local government elected member behaviour.”
Mr Sage and the Local Government Association of South Australia both declined to comment on the matter.
Council will review its position in two months time.