Central Coast Council Administrator calls to stop the return of sacked councillors

On his last day as Administrator of Central Coast Council, Dick Persson’s parting gift is an attempt to stop the return of sacked councillors.

As Central Coast Council’s Administrator Dick Persson says his final farewells, he is also looking to make a change in the local government world.

Mr Persson is asking that any sacked councillors from NSW be prevented from standing at the next election.

He has written to NSW Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock to ask that she consider changing the Local Government Act to make his happen.

“Councillors shouldn’t be allowed to stand in the next election,” Mr Persson told the Express in his final interview.

“The legislation can be amended to prevent sacked councillors from returning. It’s an idea I am putting to the Minister”.

Dick Persson AM

NSW Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock. Picture: Sue Graham

He said the issue had emerged during community consultation into the proposed rate rise as well as land asset sales. The former councillors remain suspended pending a public inquiry, however if this progresses to sacking, Mr Persson said “the community does not want them back”.

“I think this change would have a lot of community support,” he said.

“The community would like a rest from the councillors. It’s likely some may return at the next election but it would be better if they didn’t.”

As he leaves the coast on Wednesday to return to retirement Mr Persson, who has been an administrator for nine years, said his role on the coast had been the “hardest”.

“This is the greatest financial crisis in Australia’s local government history,” he said. “It was a catastrophe and a lot of hard decisions had to be made quickly. We don’t like putting rates up or selling off assets. Right on Christmas we were on he phones waiting to hear if we would be able to pay staff and creditors in January.

“I also didn’t have the time to work on other areas of interest such as bushcare and landcare. It’s been hard but in saying that it didn’t compare to being the head of a health department in Queensland.”

He said he wanted the community to move forward and “not blame staff” for the situation.

“People are still blaming staff. The people responsible have been revealed and I suspect the upcoming public inquiry will probably bring that into focus.”

Mr Persson is handing over the Administrator reigns to Rik Hart.

Mr Persson said his referendum question to reduce the number of councillors from 15 to 9, resulting in three wards, will still go ahead on September 4.

The question has changes slightly to just focus on councillor numbers as opposed to eliminating the ward structure. If this goes through, it would come into effect after the next election in 2022.

“Having 15 councillors encourages them to act like a parliament where they grandstand,” he said. “Having nine would be much better.”

He said he would ideally like to see wards eliminated from the region, which currently has a strong north and south divide.

The former Northern Beaches Council administrator is heading back to retirement. Picture: Adam Yip

Mr Persson’s vision for the coast over the next 10 years is to see a council working as one with no “toxic politics”, a financially strong council as well as more affordable housing across the region.

The grandfather and keen golfer said he had worked with a lot of amazing people and volunteers over the past six months and thanked them all.

“In this job you get to meet the finest in the community,” he said. “I know more about the Central Coast than where I live. It’s been a privilege to do it.”