Edward River Council CEO Phil Stone has responded to questions from the Pastoral Times regarding an alleged complaint Mayor Peta Betts wrote to the Liberal Party during her NSW state election campaign.
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“This is not an Edward River Council matter. Peta Betts corresponded in her private capacity, not as the mayor,” Mr Stone said in a written statement.
In Cr Betts’s letter to the Liberal Party, she makes several allegations against her council colleague and local Liberal Party branch member Shirlee Burge including “severely impacting the health and well being of staff of Edward River Council”.
Mr Stone did not confirm if Cr Betts had raised any of her concerns for Edward River Council staff with him.
Cr Burge has however, denied the allegation.
“I totally refute those comments. I had nothing to do with staff at ERC during the election,” she said.
Cr Burge confirmed she intended to raise a motion of no confidence in the mayor during last weeks’ council meeting relating to the proposed correspondence, however was thwarted by Cr Betts’s refusal to allow an urgent business item to be discussed.
The Pastoral Times understands Cr Burge wrote to all councillors more than a week before the meeting requesting a councillor only meeting to avoid public comment on the matter.
Mr Stone referred the Pastoral Times to council’s website in response to questions about why Cr Betts would not allow Cr Burge’s motion.
“Council’s adopted Code of Meeting Practice provides clear guidance on consideration of business and calling of meetings and this is available on council’s website,” he said.
Mr Stone also requested a correction to Friday’s story “Shut Down - Councillor attempt at ‘no confidence’ stopped” saying “there was no indication given to the meeting that the ‘urgent matter’ was a motion to bring forward a vote of no confidence in accordance with the Code of Meeting Practice.”
Cr Burge however, said she had asked the mayor and councillors to meet and try to discuss the issues prior to the council meeting.
“I gave them every opportunity to avoid a confrontation in the public eye,” she said.
“The mayor never spoke to me or emailed me so yes, I would have called for a vote of no confidence on the basis alone that she cannot or will not even speak to certain councillors,” Cr Burge said.
Mayor Betts was contacted for comment but did not respond to requests.
