Councillor reinstated on park committee

A Chapman Valley shire councillor has been reinstated onto a committee which manages the Bill Hemsley Park after intervention by the Department of Local Government and Communities.

Cr Veronica Wood was removed from the committee in December after a four-three vote of the shire council changed the basis on which the park management committee was determined.

The change meant she could no longer be a council representative on the committee, because she was also a member of the Parkfalls Residents Association, which is also represented on the committee.

It camedespite a petition from 110 residents of the Parkfalls Estate supporting Cr Wood’s continued membership.

A subsequent vote appointed Cr Pauline Forrester to Cr Wood’s position.

At the council’s February meeting, chief executive officer Maurice Battillana said he had since been told by the department an absolute majority was required to change membership of a council committee, not the four-three simple majority.

The original motion to remove elected members who were also members of the Parkfalls Residents Association from the Bill Hemsley Park management committee was put again, but this time was lost by three votes to four, again a simple majority.

The issue now has to wait until council considers the composition of its committees after the next local government election.

Meanwhile, Cr Forrester cannot take up her December appointment and Cr Wood is reinstated to the management committee.