By Laura Michell
A Whittlesea councillor says he is being denied access to vital information required to do his job.
Cr Tom Joseph said councillors are often being told by chief executive Simon Overland that they cannot be given certain information because it is operational.
Cr Joseph said councillors’ inability to access information made it difficult for them to advocate for residents, particularly those that are aggrieved.
“It has now almost become standard practice for the administration to refuse providing us with the information we are rightfully entitled to,” he said.
“We have a right to obtain information under the Local Government Act”.
Cr Joseph said councillors were also being prohibited from seeking help from officers to write alternative recommendations for council meetings.
He said that prior to last week’s council meeting he asked a council officer for assistance drafting an alternative recommendation, but was told by a director that his request was a direction to the officer and was a violation of the Local Government Act.
“There is a long-standing practice that officers draft alternative recommendations … I wanted [the recommendation] written in a way that was legally acceptable,” he said.
Cr Joseph said he has raised his concerns with Mr Overland in the past and was speaking out because he felt “things are getting worse”.
While he declined to comment on whether he had confidence in Mr Overland, opting to reserve his comments on the matter, Cr Joseph did warn that the chief executive is in danger of losing the council’s confidence.
“The CEO has to perform his role under the Local Government Act. If he doesn’t perform, I don’t think he will have the confidence of council,” Cr Joseph said.
Mayor Lawrie Cox said he had the “utmost confidence” in Mr Overland and the administration in regards to the assistance provided to all councillors on a consistent basis.
“Councillors have to be aware of their responsibilities and compliance with corporate governance rules and the requirements of the Local Government Act,” he said.
