Leichhardt Council labelled “dysfunctional”

BY LUCAS BAIRD
Leichhardt council’s decision-making ability has been crippled by animosity and it continues to operate in a “dysfunctional” way, according to a councillor.

The situation is now so bad that the council has been forced to hire mediators for meetings, councillor John Stamolis told City Hub.

“The level of aggression and disrespect has reached such a stage where we have had to bring in a consultant to try and assist us through those problems,” he said.

“We also have another consultant working with us to get the meetings back on track because all of that has degenerated as well.”

“I don’t recall anything like this ever happening before.”

Cr Stamolis labelled the council’s current situation unworkable and indicated that several councillors may be there solely to “provoke and disrupt”.

Despite not naming any specific councillors, Cr Stamolis did indicate the major parties that were involved.

“The attacks between the Labor and the Greens have been dreadful and immature,” he said.

“When those attacks fire up it is immature, highly negative and I am sure other councillors are uncomfortable with what is being said in the chamber.”

Labor Councillor and Mayor, Darcy Byrne did not deny animosity within the chamber but sought to provide context to the situation.

“I think one of the things Cr Stamolis finds frustrating is that as an independent councillor he has consistently voted with the Greens party,” he said.

“He is a de facto Greens’ party member.”

“Perhaps he finds it frustrating that the Greens no longer have outright control of the council, as they did before.”

Cr Byrne said that the Greens’ leadership of the council has led to the degeneration of decorum and proper communication within the council.

He said he believes that under his leadership, council activities were returning to normal.

“Since I’ve come back as Mayor, we have been able to get on with some really positive policy ideas,” he said.

Deputy Mayor and Liberal Councillor, Vera-ann Hannaford, agreed with Clr Byrne.

She told City Hub that she thought it was “disappointing” that a councillor thought the current situation was dysfunctional and she didn’t believe that herself.

Greens Councillor, Rochelle Porteous, was contacted for comment, though, she did not get back to City Hub in time for publication.