Lawyer Lindsay Taylor used this analogy when delivering a code-of-conduct workshop to Armidale Dumaresq councillors on Monday night.

His message was: well-run councils rarely experienced leaks; dysfunctional ones, on the other hand, were a constant source of leaks. So it is at Armidale, the leaky ship that is sailing close to the wind, according to many ratepayers.

Since Laurie Bishop took the reins as mayor in September last year, barely a week has gone by without some form of leak.

First it was the code-of-conduct and allegations of bullying which led to Monday’s workshop.

Then it was the decision to cancel Christmas drinks in an austerity drive.

Now it’s the secret meeting held last month to sack the general manager, Shane Burns.

By all accounts the action was peremptory, with a number of councillors left in the dark until the fateful closed meeting.

The past few weeks have proved bruising for Council as snippets and details have leaked to the media and public.

Ratepayers vented their ire about the move at a public meeting last week. Their chief concern was the extra money they would have to pay out to say goodbye to Mr Burns, on top of the planned special rate variation of 20 per cent. Now Local Government Minister Don Page has weighed into the fray,  saying he is monitoring the situation.

While he is loathe to sack a Council, as has been urged by Cr Herman Beyersdorf, the Council shenanigans have drawn the attention of those in Macquarie Street. And for all the wrong reasons. Time for Council to lift its game before lifting the lid on any more damaging antics.