Council chief takes legal line on 'interference'

General manager Robert Dobrzynski also told yesterday's council meeting that he would need to seek advice from Local Government Minister Bryan Green if the motion was passed.

Alderman Rosemary Armitage had proposed that aldermen be notified of upcoming neighbourhood or street meetings between council officers and ratepayers.

While her motion was ultimately lost, she said Mr Dobrzynski's reaction had been out of all proportion.

"It's like being squashed with a sledgehammer," she said.

But Mr Dobrzynski said that the proposal was "an unreasonable interference" in the ability of the general manager to perform his functions.

He sought legal advice because he believed the proposal was "a fundamental in the demarcation of respective responsibilities" between aldermen and the general manager.

Mr Dobrzynski said that issues brought to the attention of aldermen by residents were often handed on to senior management and dealt with when they did not justify a decision by the council.

"In these instances, often communicated verbally or by email from aldermen, council officers take action to rectify the situation," he said.

"I ... believe that the proposal to provide notification to aldermen of all proposed neighbourhood or street meetings significantly exceeds this position and is not in the best interests of the council."

Alderman Armitage's question over the cost of the legal advice was not answered.