Mitcham Council spends at least $6000 to resolve feud between two councillors

Mitcham ratepayers will spend at least $6000 on a consultant to help two feuding councillors who called each other “pushy” and “arrogant”.

Mitcham Council has spent $6000 of ratepayers’ money to resolve a dispute between two members that is part of an ongoing feud between the hills and plains factions.

The spending was brought on because plains councillor Adriana Christopoulos felt hills councillor Darren Kruse had been rude to her and “pushy”.

Cr Kruse had referred to contents of an email he received from Cr Christopoulos as “irrelevant, vague and improper”, and she replied in her complaint that he was “arrogant and presumptuous” and alleged the comments “bullied” her.

Minutes from the council’s meeting on Tuesday night show more money will be spent on the six-month investigation, so Cr Kruse can “access support and feedback to identify and moderate his behaviour”.

The cost to ratepayers includes an undisclosed wages bill for council staff who were also attempting to resolve the issue in a formal report that was put to the meeting.

The $6000 cost to ratepayers was approved so that an external consultant could be paid to help Cr Christopoulos and Cr Kruse settle their dispute.

Undisclosed is the cost of ruling on the dispute by the Local Government Governance Panel, established, in part, via the Local Government Association with fees from councils throughout South Australia.

Mitcham Council chambers. Picture: AAP / James Elsby

State parliament is due to debate changes to the Local Government Act to stop lengthy and costly legal battles between councillors. Code of conduct matters cost ratepayers in larger councils more than $100,000 a year.

Cr Kruse is one of several members from wards in the Blackwood area at odds with those on the plains, including Cr Christopoulos.

Cr Kruse has accepted the finding, and the council position that he “ … report back to the Mayor as to the steps taken to support the awareness, understanding of and modification to his approach and manner with fellow elected members”.

The council has long been split over claims hills ratepayers have been unfairly treated.

The latest row has been over plans for a $20m Blackwood Hub, with plains members last month successful in having its budget cut by half.

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