Councillor raises concerns over being named in run sheet

Councillor Corinne Lamont has expressed concern following the discovery of a document prior to the May 27 Central Coast Council meeting.

Titled Run Sheet May, the document listed a number of items on the agenda for the meeting.

It put the initials of Liberal councillors as the movers of the recommendations of the items and mentioned a motion by Lamont proposing the introduction of a petition policy for council.

The run sheet said to vote it down, emphasised in capital letters. 

It said Lamont, an Independent, and Councillor Jane Smith, also an Independent, would use the motion to try to support their agendas.

It also said to vote down as not urgent any urgency motion Councillor Lamont might raise.

“To see a predetermined decision to vote against an urgency motion without even knowing whether one would be presented, let alone what it might relate to, is in my view, unacceptable conduct,” Lamont said. 

“It shows they were more focused on playing politics than making fair and informed decisions which is the opposite of what good governance requires.”

The document, believed to have been accidentally left in a Council photocopier, raised questions about the level of co-ordination occurring prior to formal debate in the Chamber, Lamont said.

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“I believe in robust debate and decision-making that reflects the discussion we have in the Chamber, in full view of the community and each other,” Lamont said. 

“This document indicated that votes were effectively pre-determined, and that some items, including a motion I submitted, were being targeted not on their merit, but because of who raised them.”

She said the run sheet was probably not a one-off.

“The structure and tone of the document suggest this type of co-ordination may be a regular occurrence,” Lamont said.

“That should concern everyone who cares about transparency in local government.”

Lamont also expressed disappointment in how the incident was handled during the meeting itself.

One of the councillors named in the run sheet, Cr Trent McWaide, expressed his disappointment that it had been publicly shared after a Labor Councillor, Kyle MacGregor, made mention of it during debate in the Chamber.

Central Coast Council Watch had posted the run sheet to Facebook half an hour prior to the start of the meeting.

A solicitor has since warned Council Watch to remove the item as it is copyright material owned by the author.

However, the author was not named.

Lamont is now calling for a renewed commitment to transparency and a review of internal governance practices to ensure confidence in Council’s decision-making processes is restored.

“This isn’t about political point-scoring,” she said.

“It’s about integrity in decision-making and ensuring every councillor, and the community, has a fair and equal voice in the process; otherwise it’s telling the community your votes mean nothing.”

A spokesperson for the Liberal councillors said the run sheet looked like just one of many personal run sheets that get drawn up before a meeting.

Smith said councillors had a duty to consider all matters raised in debate and presentation by speakers.

“The run sheet from Liberals and Team Central Coast councillors shows an absolute failure of these councillors to properly represent the interests of our residents and ratepayers,” Smith said.

Council declined to comment but the Office of Local Government said anyone with any concerns about the conduct of councillors should raise them in writing with the council general manager in the first instance so they can be considered and dealt with under the council’s code of conduct procedures.

“There is nothing to prevent councillors from discussing matters that will be considered by the council and forming a preliminary non-binding view on them prior to a meeting,” a spokesperson said.

“However, councillors are prohibited under the Model Code of Conduct for Local Councils from participating in a binding caucus vote on matters being considered at meetings.”

The Model Code of Conduct defines a binding caucus vote as “a process whereby a group of councillors are compelled by a threat of disciplinary or other adverse action to comply with a predetermined position on a matter before the council or committee, irrespective of the personal views of individual members of the group on the merits of the matter before the council or committee”.

Merilyn Vale