Geoff Helisma

Cr Allison Whaites has told the Independent that she will not take down her petition opposing Clarence Valley Council (CVC) applying for the Additional Special Variation (ASV) flagged by the NSW Office of Local Government.

In last week’s newspaper, mayor Ian Tiley said he would “look into the matter”.

Subsequently, Cr Tiley wrote an email, titled ‘Facebook rate peg matter and Code of Conduct’, to all councillors and the acting general manager.

Mayor Tiley shared the email with the Independent “for transparency reasons” and gave permission to “use my email to councillors … as a direct quotation”.

“My hope is that the [Facebook] post has by now been removed,” he wrote.

To councillors and the acting general manager, “I am aware that a councillor has launched a Facebook petition regarding the matter of the 22/23 rate peg matter.

“I respectfully advise that councillors are required to come to the council meeting with an open mind.

“Given the consequence of not applying for the rate variation on services is unknown, forming an opinion this early is uninformed and not consistent with the responsibility of the councillor role.

“In respect of councillor fees and superannuation, the same post was also critical of me as mayor and other councillors.

“For the record I will not be accepting superannuation.

“I respectfully remind all councillors of the requirements on each of us under Clause 3.1 of the Code of Conduct, namely:

“3.1 You must not conduct yourself in a manner that: a) is likely to bring the council or other council officials into disrepute; b) is contrary to statutory requirements or the council’s administrative requirements or policies; c) is improper or unethical; d) is an abuse of power; e) causes, comprises or involves intimidation or verbal abuse; f) involves the misuse of your position to obtain a private benefit; g) constitutes harassment or bullying behaviour under this code, or is unlawfully discriminatory.”

At noon on Monday April 4, Cr Whaites said she had received the “mayor’s general email” and that “no one has actually rung me” about the petition.

Why not take it down then?

“I don’t see that there is a breach,” she said.

“I have not been told there is a breach, and I am here as a representative of our community.

“I was interested to see what they [the community] think because that’s who we work for.

“And I will be going into the meeting with an open mind.”