I read in your paper today (29 January 2020) that Armidale Regional Council has lurched from from one 7 to 4 voting bloc to another 7 to 4 voting bloc just by three councillors, who had largely supported the current mayor from the start of this council term, swinging their support to four councillors who, from that same beginning, have seldom (maybe never) had the numbers to have their voices heard.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Now supposedly they will, following the the dramatic signing of a motion of no confidence in the current mayor.
One problem! This is not what the voting public want or expect from their elected officials. Councillors should vote according to their views and conscience on each item on the agenda. For example, they can be vehemently opposed to another councillor on one item and support that same councillor on the very next item. It should work like this, has worked like this in the past and can again!
Unfortunately the current council isn't operating this way and never really has, and regardless of this changed dynamic, there is little chance that they will do so in what's left of their term.
I'm sure that there will be calls to stand the council down and put in an administrator.
I strongly caution against such calls and very much hope that the Office of Local Government will not consider doing this.
The NSW local government elections are less than eight months away so please OLG, let democracy take its course.