‘Dysfunctional’ western suburbs council replaced until next election

Every member of a ‘dysfunctional’ western suburbs council has been replaced by three commissioners who will take charge of community matters until a special election is held next year.

The resignations of five councillors earlier this month collapsed the City of Nedlands council, with the remaining four positions, including the mayoral role, to be formally vacated on Friday.

The three commissioners appointed to the City of Nedlands; David Caddy, Bianca Sandri and Cath Hart.

A key contention which led to the mass resignations was the council’s inability to agree on plans for WA’s first children’s hospice, which proposed using the neighbouring Allen Park A-Class reserve as recreational space for the children.

The city had also been under investigation by WorkSafe over alleged staff misconduct and inappropriate workplace behaviour, with more than 70 people quitting in 18 months.

Local government minister Hannah Beazley has previously stated she would bring an end to the “embarrassing saga of dysfunction and disunity” at the city.

On Wednesday, she announced David Caddy, Bianca Sandri and Cath Hart as the three commissioners who would take over council responsibilities until March 28, 2026.

Caddy was the former chair of the WA Planning Commission and former City of Nedlands Deputy Mayor; Sandri was the former City of Bayswater director and is a current WA Planning Commission board member; and Hart was the former Real Estate Institute of WA chief executive.

Beazley said the commissioners will serve until a new council is elected in March next year.

“The ratepayers and residents of the City of Nedlands deserve a professional, effective and productive council,” she said.

“I have moved quickly to select three highly qualified and experienced commissioners to fulfil the duties of the council and restore stability to the City of Nedlands.”

Caddy said there was a “huge task ahead of us”.

“Our first priority is going to be to adopt a budget for the forthcoming year and then to look at the audit and risk management committee and the findings of the Auditor General that still need to be tidied up,” he said.

“We are committed to this particular task, and we look forward to undertaking the role.”

Beazley urged those living in the City of Nedlands to “seriously consider nominating for a position on council” and look at the ways they could contribute to their community “after what has been a prolonged period of dysfunction”.

“I certainly urge all Nedlands ratepayers to vote at the March election to ensure a functioning and stable local government, one that they can rely on,” she said.

“[The former councillors] have their democratic right to put their hands up again. I would encourage them to use this time to reset and reflect on their behaviours and decision-making to date, and if it’s the best course of action for them to renominate.”

In a statement, outgoing Mayor Fiona Argyle said she had been “rolled” by the state government.

“I was elected mayor two times by a popular vote of the community and have been rolled by the WA state government for doing my job; protecting Class A nature reserves from property developers,” she said.

“The WA minister for local government claims I am being investigated. This is baseless, unless she has failed to inform me.”

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