The total number of submissions sent into the Public Inquiry into Central Coast Council has risen by five to 102 after the Commission asked for people to check they were on the list.
The Office of the Commissioner last week asked people to check their names were on the public list of 97 people who had offered their thoughts on the council crisis.
FIve extra submissions have now been added to the list of submissions forwarded to the Commissioner including from suspended councillor Kyle MacGregor and well-known council watchers, residents Kevin Armstrong and Norm Harris.
The case of the missing emails came to light when suspended councillor MacGregor made contact with the office and said he had put in a submission but his name was not on the public list.
The suspended councillor forwarded the original submission – which was accepted.
It prompted the search for other submissions.
This week the Office said MacGregor’s submission appeared to be an isolated incident which occurred due to an IT error.
“The submission has now been received and accepted, and is being considered by the Commissioner,” the Office said.
“The list of submissions also contains the following additions:
“Two persons whose submissions were previously received but whose names were inadvertently omitted from the list; one person who sent a series of emails which were not initially considered to constitute a submission but will now be included as a submission; and one person whose submission was initially sent to an incorrect email address but has now been sent to the Inquiry email address and accepted by the Commissioner.
“The Commissioner wishes to assure the public that it can have confidence in the Inquiry process and that all submissions received to date have been accepted and are being considered.
“Any person who has concerns regarding receipt of their submission is encouraged to contact the Inquiry by phone on 4345 4444 or email at centralcoastcouncil.publicinquiry@olg.nsw.gov.au
The Public Inquiry made public the names earlier this month but is not making the actual submissions public.
Macgregor’s submission brings the total of submissions from councillors to 10 plus one from resigned councillor Rebecca Gale.
Names missing from the list were suspended mayor, Lisa Matthews, who has since confirmed she has not put in a submission and suspended councillors Chris Holstein and Jilly Pilon.
There were four submissions with names withheld but these are believed to come from members of the public.
Administrator Rik Hart explained at a recent council meeting that the Commissioner Roslyn McCullough had decided not to publish the actual submissions.
Reasons included defamatory comments in the submissions.
On April 26, the Minister for Local Government, the Hon Shelley Hancock MP announced a formal Public Inquiry into Central Coast Council to determine the contributing role played by the governing body into the financial position the council is in.
“The Commissioner may make recommendations as the Commissioner sees fit having regard to the outcomes of the Inquiry, including whether all civic offices at Central Coast Council should be declared vacant,” the Minister said at the time.
The councillors were suspended in October last year after the council had sudden and significant liquidity issues.
The list of names can be found at https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/CCPI-List-of-Submissions.pdf
Merilyn Vale