Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 7 hours ago
WA's flagship local council, The City of Perth, is imploding after it was officially put on notice by the state's Local Government Inspector. The ABC understands after hearing the news, a portion of councillors successfully voted to suspend the City's CEO Michelle Reynolds, who is now on leave. While labelling the infighting of elected members "galling", the government is now suggesting the council merge with its neighbour.

Category

📺
TV
Transcript
00:01The City of Perth back in headlines for all the wrong reasons.
00:06The local government inspector has advised me that last night he met with the City of Perth.
00:10Based on the information and evidence that he has received, the inspector took direct action.
00:15The council officially put on notice to make urgent improvements
00:19as the inspector assesses a range of unknown complaints about the city.
00:23The conduct at the City of Perth is simply unbelievable and unacceptable.
00:28I'm over it. The pettiness, the infighting, the immaturity by the council is galling.
00:38The city has been marred by allegations of a toxic work culture
00:42and a lack of communication between councillors and staff.
00:45Despite having a local government monitor installed in January and extended to June 19,
00:50the situation has deteriorated. The inspector a warning of further action.
00:54We could go to a local government inspector inquiry.
00:58Now the City of Perth only had an inquiry three or four years ago
01:02so we don't want to put the rate payers and residents of the City of Perth through that
01:07but if the council don't improve then that's what we'll need to do.
01:10The government fed up suggesting amalgamation.
01:14I'm at the stage and the belief, given the dysfunction at the City of Perth,
01:18that they should merge with the nearby City of Vincent council.
01:22The City of Vincent has got a position of being supportive of moving to an amalgamation with the City of
01:29Perth
01:29but it's not something that my rate payers have been raising with me in recent times.
01:33In the middle of this, the ABC Learning Council has voted to suspend the City's CEO, Michelle Reynolds, on Tuesday
01:40night.
01:40It's understood Ms Reynolds was notified of her suspension in a short email.
01:44In a statement she said she hasn't been advised of any specifics or any timeframe
01:49and said the Lord Mayor hasn't spoken directly to her.
01:52The CEO is on leave. Any matters related to the CEO are workforce matters for the City.
01:57The City of Perth seemingly hanging by a thread, unravelling by the minute.
Comments

Recommended