Minister threatens North Sydney Council with suspension due to serious concerns about behaviour

Councillors from one of the city’s most fractious councils have been ordered to get their act together or face suspension.

NORTH Sydney Council has been threatened with suspension by the State Government due to serious concerns over its behaviour.

Local Government Minister Paul Toole has written to the Mayor and councillors saying the council will be stood down if it does not get its act together.

“I will consider the use of the intervention options available to me under the Local Government Act 1993, and in particular, the suspension provisions,” he wrote.

The Minister has the power to suspend a council if he believes the appointment of an interim administrator is necessary to restore proper functioning.

External consultants were brought in to investigate Mayor Jilly Gibson’s allegations. Picture: Chris McKeen

Cr Jeff Morris has denied all bullying allegations levelled at him. Picture: Supplied

The warning comes after months of infighting among the elected representatives at the council.

Mayor Jilly Gibson has alleged that she was bullied by Cr Jeff Morris and external consultants were brought in to investigate.

She withdrew an AVO application against Cr Morris who has consistently denied all allegations levelled at him.

In May Cr Danielle Butcher and Cr Tom Robertson resigned amid growing hostility. And the monthly council meetings are extremely tense – with councillors recently voting not to allow staff a five-minute bathroom break called by the Mayor.

Tom Robertson, a compliance manager, also resigned from his seat at council earlier this year.

Former North Sydney councillor Danielle Butcher has called for an administrator to be appointed.

In his letter of July 14 the Minister warned the councillors that it appeared the model code of conduct was being used to score points against each other.

“The Code provides clear guidance on the standards of conduct expect of all Councillors,” he wrote.

“It is profoundly disappointing that I need to write to you to tell you that the Code should not be used as device to prosecute petty spats.”

He said the Office of Local Government had been spending an “inordinate” amount of time dealing with issues raised by councillors and staff arising from the apparent breakdown in relationships at council.

A recent report showed North Sydney Council had the highest number of code of conduct complaints in the past year — costing ratepayers more than $50,000.

“This is not a record you should be proud of,” the Minister said.

The front page of today’s Mosman Daily.

Mr Toole informed the councillors that an officer from the Office of Local Government attended one of their meetings to observe and reported an improvement in conduct was needed.

He urged councillors to attend training on meeting procedures and suggested the Mayor undertake additional training on the chairing of meetings.

Minister Toole reiterated that the ongoing political disputes between councillors were inconsistent with the professionalism the community expects.

“The continual public airing of your disputes will certainly erode the community’s confidence in your ability to provide effective leadership for the area,” he said.

In a statement to the Mosman Daily the minister outlined that his main concern was the misuse of the code of conduct by councillors to score points against each other.

He also highlighted his concerns over the airing of petty disagreements and the undermining of council decisions.

“The Minister expects to see an improvement in the performance of the councillors because the community deserves better,” the statement said.

● Central Darling Shire Council was suspended before Christmas due to financial problems

● Former Ryde mayor Ivan Petch was suspended in June and faces the sack after an inquiry by the state’s corruption watchdog

●Wollongong Council was sacked in 2008 after a ‘sex-for-development’ scandal; it was the eighth local council dismissed in NSW in five years