Hobsons Bay councillor Daria Kellander claims colleagues held closed-door meeting to ‘predetermine’ new mayor
A councillor claims her colleagues met behind closed doors to predetermine who the next mayor will be ahead of an official vote.
West
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A councillor in Melbourne’s west is accusing her colleagues of meeting behind closed-doors to predetermine the next mayor in a move slammed by the council watchdog.
Hobsons Bay councillor Daria Kellander took no part in a councillor-only meeting she claimed was to “predetermine” the next mayor and deputy of the western suburbs council.
Ms Kellander took to social media prior to the meeting to say she would go trick or treating with her four-year-old child instead of attending the closed-door meeting on Tuesday night.
“To date only one councillor has reached out to me to share an intention to nominate for mayor, who I suspect will be unsuccessful. This is unlike previous years,” Ms Kellander said.
“Noting that the current Mayor wanted to have this meeting behind closed-doors a month in advance to anoint and mentor the new mayor I suggest that a deal has already been done, of which I have no interest in being part of,” the post read.
A Hobsons Bay council spokesman denied the allegations and said councillors would vote to elect the mayor and deputy at the next council meeting.
“Issues can be discussed among councillors before coming to a formal meeting, but they are only discussions,’ the spokesman said.
“All council decisions are made at formal council meetings.”
The official meeting to elect the next mayor is scheduled for Friday November 10.
Council Watch president Dean Hurlston said this type of behaviour must stop.
“(It’s) more poor behaviour from this out-of-touch council,” Mr Hurlston said.
It comes as the Victorian council watchdog slammed Hobsons Bay Council’s decision to award its CEO a contract extension and pay rise following a six month absence and declining community satisfaction.
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