Union wants council sacked
The Australian Services Union (ASU) has called for the sacking of Tasmania’s Glamorgan Spring Bay Council (GSBC).
GSBC general manager Chris Schroeder has tendered his resignation from the council, but the ASU, which represents council staff, says he “resigned following advice that his employment was to be terminated if he chose not to”.
It is not the first controversy to hit the council, with documents obtained through an RTI revealing that more than 10 per cent of the council's workforce had left in the first seven months of the financial year.
The ASU says it raised a series of allegations against Mayor Debbie Wisby to then Director of Local Government Alex Tay and Local Government Minister Mark Shelton late last year.
The union alleges that the mayor’s behaviour left some staff members feeling harassed and bullied, causing “real and substantial damage to the mental health and wellbeing of employees of council”.
Cr Wisby has denied the allegations.
The Director of Local Government ordered the council to set up a Statement of Expectations Special Committee, which found the council was non-compliant with the Local Government Act on several matters, including a lack of long term financial planning, asset management plans or even a current annual plan.
Local Government Minister Mark Shelton says he is listening to all sides of the issue.
“The Director of Local Government and I continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that essential services are being delivered, the council is addressing the requirements of the Local Government Act 1993, and the council is meeting the expectations of the Glamorgan Spring Bay community,” he told reporters.
The director of local government must launch a Board of Inquiry if it wants to sack a council.
However, the Tasmanian Government is considering legal changes that would allow the Minister to establish a Board of Inquiry, or dismiss a council or councillor on the recommendation of the director.