Suspended councillors to hand back phones, cars barred from chambers

Seven Logan City councillors, suspended on integrity charges, have been automatically barred from chambers.

Logan City Council will be off limits to seven councillors suspended today after they were charged with integrity offences.

LOGAN City Council has called for calm and for a “swift” resolution of court cases after seven councillors and the suspended mayor were charged with integrity offences this morning.

The council statement came as ratepayers called for the Local Government Minister to sack the acting chief executive Silvio Trinca.

FOUR FEAR DISMISSAL

COUNCILLORS UNDER INVESTIGATION

The council statement, issued this afternoon, confirmed all seven councillors and suspended mayor had been charged and were now on suspension.

“Under the Local Government Act, mayors and councillors charged with integrity offences are automatically suspended. This is effective immediately on being charged.”

Council said its duty of care “remains with the community and its staff” and would “continue to co-operate with all CCC-related matters”.

Strict bail conditions were also imposed.

The charges and suspensions followed a statement this morning by CCC chairman Alan MacSporran who said suspended Logan mayor Luke Smith and seven current councillors would be charged with criminal offences by the Crime and Corruption Commission following a major corruption investigation.

Mr MacSporran said it was the largest number of councillors charged in the history of the CCC.

Queensland's Crime and Corruption Commission chairperson Alan MacSporran QC. AAP/Darren England

Following the charges, the seven suspended councillors, Russell Lutton, Steve Swenson, Laurie Smith, Phil Pidgeon, Cherie Dalley, Trevina Schwarz and Jennie Breene, were forced to hand back their council-owned vehicles, ipads, phones and any other council-owned items.

Suspended mayor Luke Smith and suspended Cr Stacey McIntosh handed back their phones and vehicles in June last year after they were suspended while facing criminal charges.

While on suspension, the councillors will no longer be allowed to enter council premises or access council emails and computer files.

Logan City Councillors Lisa Bradley (Division 1), Laurie Koranski (Division 4), Jon Raven (Division 5) and Darren Power (Division 10)

Cr Jon Raven said he was unsure whether next month’s committee meetings would proceed as scheduled on May 13.

“At this point in time, I can’t see how we could proceed without a quorum,” he said.

“The only time there has not been a quorum and the council did not meet was during the 2017 flood when councillors were too busy out in their electorates.”

Today’s decision to charge the seven councillors was seen as a victory for residents of one of the city’s 12 electorates.

Division 6 ratepayers said they had endured nearly a full year without representation after their councillor Cr Stacey McIntosh was suspended in May last year while she faced fraud charges.

Advocate for ratepayers Diana Howes said she feared for residents of the seven divisions where councillors were suspended today.

“Ratepayers in those seven divisions will now see themselves in the same position as we have been in for the past year,” Ms Howes said.

“Division 6 has been without a vote on council’s floor for almost a year and we currently have the largest privately-funded development before council, up in the air — the Holmview Central Shopping Centre extension.

“Councillors have been imprisoned in a paralysis of decision making while under investigation for alleged criminal activity.”

Ms Howes said she had also asked Local Government Minister Stirling Hinchliffe to sack acting chief executive Silvio Trinca.

“Ratepayers believe he is incapable of performing his role properly and someone should be independently appointed to the role given he was appointed by the seven councillors who are now facing integrity charges.”