Central Coast Council financial crisis: How the mayor and councillors will fight suspension
It all comes down to a vote on Monday night when Central Coast councillors will decide how to fight for their jobs. Some say the suspension is inevitable, others say bring it on.
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The Central Coast Mayor and councillors may only have a few more days in the job – some welcome the news, others say it’s inevitable.
When Local Government Minister Shelley Hancock announced the suspension on Wednesday, she gave them seven days to have their say.
At Monday night’s council meeting, they will vote on exactly what “their say” should be.
Council announced its financial crisis and “liquidity issues” on October 6 and since then, a lot of the blame has been pointed towards councillors. They will fight for not only their jobs, but their reputations in the community.
Some councillors have indicated that they were kept in the dark and were shocked to be called into council on the October 5 public holiday to hear the news that council was staring down the barrel of an $89m debt.
Cr Jillian Hogan made it clear that councillors “are only as good as the information we have been given”.
“Sadly we have been given the wrong information that has compromised our positions,” she said.
Cr Chris Holstein told his fellow councillors he was disappointed with Ms Hancock’s announcement yet said if they can’t stop the political swipes and comments, they would not be able to save themselves.
Cr Kyle MacGregor described the suspension as “nothing more than scapegoating 15 councillors”.
“It’s one of the most ridiculous situations, you could not make this stuff up,” he said.
“It’s important that independent and external people get to the root of the cause.”
Cr Bruce McLachlan has welcomed the decision and said “I don’t believe councillors can defend the indefensible”.
“In fact weeks ago myself and Crs Greg Best, Jilly Pilon, Troy Marquart and Rebecca Gale lodged a formal complaint to the Office of Local Government, requesting a financial controller be appointed,” he said.
He blamed a group within councillors for running their own agenda. He highlights the council voting to reject the State Government’s $4.6m grant for the upgrade of the Winney Bay track.
“Councillors cannot stand there and tear up $4.6m public grant moneys, then vote for a $4.4m maximum per cent rate rise,” he said.
“Councillors cannot cut back resident services, then majority vote themselves a pay rise, during a pandemic.”
The Administrator must be allowed to come in with a forensic finance team and get to the problem without impediment of politics. The councillors cannot come to agreement, and their politics that got us into this mess, will not get us out.”