[Greens-Media] Put Shellharbour Council into Caretaker Mode

[David Shoebridge]

Put Shellharbour Council into Caretaker Mode
Media Release 24 May 2011
 
The Greens NSW are calling on the Minister for Local Government Don Page to put Shellharbour City Council into caretaker mode immediately ahead of local government elections in September this year.
 
This follows reports of Shellharbour Council Administrator David Jesson's plans for $30 million in grants and loans from the State and Federal governments to begin construction on the controversial Shellharbour marina project. 
 
NSW Greens MP and Local Government spokesperson David Shoebridge said:
 
"Minister Page needs to step in a put Shellharbour Council into care-taker mode ahead of the September local government elections.
 
"Mr Jesson is overstepping his mandate as administrator by looking to lock the new council into building a new marina that there is scant evidence the local residents want.
 
"Decisions about the future of Shellharbour should be made by a full council elected by the people of Shellharbour, not by an appointed administrator with no accountability.
 
"The local government elections in September will be a welcome return to local democracy for the residents of Shellharbour.
 
"However, between now and September there is the potential for the administrator to be making significant decisions which will affect the long-term future of Shellharbour.  
 
"An un-elected bureaucrat making major planning decisions and locking the future Council into a $20 million loan is not a democratic process.
 
"Strategic and major planning decisions should be made by the newly elected council, not an unelected bureaucrat," Mr Shoebridge said.
 
More information: 9230 3030 | 0433 753 376
 
 
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David Shoebridge
Greens MLC
NSW Parliament
PH: (02) 9230 3030
FX: (02) 9230 2159
www.davidshoebridge.org.au