Randwick Council general manager Therese Manns appointed to the same role at North Sydney Council

Randwick Council general manager Therese Manns has been appointed to the same role at North Sydney Council — but senior sources say there is more to her move than simply a new opportunity.

Randwick Council’s general manager Therese Manns is set to join North Sydney Council, after applying for a five-year contract renewal.

North Sydney Mayor Zoë Baker confirmed the appointment exclusively to NewsLocal, saying it was finalised during a confidential meeting between councillors held on Saturday.

“It was a unanimous decision by councillors (to appoint her) and everyone was impressed by her record on the council she had previously served in,” Ms Baker said.

“She has an unrivalled reputation in local government with particular strengths in financial sustainability and building organisational culture.”

The confirmation comes a day after Ms Manns announced her resignation from Randwick Council with “mixed emotions”.

Therese Manns is leaving her role as general manager at Randwick Council

Several senior officials at Randwick Council say that Ms Manns, who has consistently done well in performance reviews, did not initially want to leave and had the support of the majority of the council but was “pushed out”.

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker strenuously refuted a claim that Ms Manns’ departure was politically motivated.

North Sydney Mayor Zoe Baker confirmed the appointment.

“Literally being in the middle of preparing the documentation to recommend renewing Ms Manns’ contract for a further three years, the news of her resignation did strike me by surprise as I am sure it did my other council colleagues and the community,” Mr Parker said.

“Therese has clearly made the decision to seek out and has likely snagged a new and exciting opportunity.

“I cannot fault her ambition considering her stellar service to Randwick to date. We’ve been lucky to have her for the last four years and I have personally found working alongside her an absolute pleasure and privilege. Her new workplace are very lucky to have her.”

Ms Mann’s appointment to North Sydney Council comes three months after she had applied for a five-year contract renewal. Cr Parker said he was looking at offering three years, which would have been considered at the next council meeting.

Randwick Mayor Dylan Parker …

That application followed Randwick Council’s rejection of a $400,000 golden handshake agreed between Cr Parker and Ms Manns, after what is believed to be a disagreement between the pair.

At the time, only six councillors voted in support of Labor Cr Parker’s confidential mayoral minute for Ms Manns to resign, including five Labor councillors.

Several sources within Randwick Council feel Ms Manns repeatedly “butted heads” with a few figures who wanted her out of the position, when she was clearly doing a great job.

“Everybody is in shock,” one senior official said. “It’s sad, because she’s a really good operator. We will be watching with keen interest that the next nomination is impartial.”

One councillor who has not been shy to express this view on the record is independent councillor Noel D’Souza.

Speaking at a council meeting this month, Mr D’Souza said: “Recently we have had a general manager who has shown great leadership and steered this council through one of its most difficult times. Instead of being acknowledged and thanked, she was shown the door.”

In an email to Ms Manns, Mr D’Souza said he knew what it was like to be “treated badly by jealous, envious people” without identifying them.

North Sydney Council has been on a recruitment drive to fill the position of its general manager after Ken Gouldthorp, who had served in the position for four years, resigned in May.