COUNCILLORS have lost a bid to revoke the mayor’s powers to control the hiring process of the permanent chief executive.
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A motion to rescind the February decision was signed by councillors Andrew Murat, Debra O’Brien and Margaret O’Connor and presented at an extraordinary meeting on Monday.
Cr O’Brien said the selection panel should be a matter for all councillors in the interest of democracy.
“There’s nothing wrong with us being unique,” she said.
"But we would surely not let Armidale Regional Council’s novelty lie in preventing councillors from fulfilling their duties.”
Split six to five, none of the councillors who voted against the motion spoke about why.
Mayor Simon Murray has already tapped the people he wants to pick the new chief executive.
The list includes deputy mayor Dorothy Robinson, councillors Diane Gray and Ian Tiley, Glen Innes Severn Council mayor Steve Toms and Department of Premier and Cabinet regional coordinator Alison McGaffin.
The two councillors selected for the panel voted in favour of the mayor’s right to choose.
Cr Murray said he picked Glen Innes mayor Steve Toms because he has prior experience in chief executive selection panels.
“His council is also part of our joint organisation,” Cr Murray said.
“This task was delegated to me at the last council meeting last month, I did not see it as being ‘best for me’.
“All of council is going to work with the recruitment agency to come up with ‘qualities’ in the new chief executive, I will be one of the council putting my thoughts in the mix.”
Cr Robinson moved to suspend standing orders for council to discuss the matter in more depth, but Cr Murray refused.
It’s a highly unusual process, Cr O’Brien said, who surveyed Tamworth, Tenterfield, Wagga, Clarence Valley, Upper Hunter, Narrendera, Muswellbrook, Sydney and Dubbo councils with Cr Peter Bailey.
“Their general managers were all recruited by a panel voted by all councillors, in every, single, case,” she said.
“One person, the mayor, does not know or represent the whole community like 11 councillors do.
“Let the whole council decide the selection process, it’s recommended, it’s democratic and it’s the right thing to do.”
Office of Local Government guidelines for hiring general managers state selection panels must at least include the mayor, the deputy mayor, another councillor and an independent person.
Councillor Bailey said he had been accused of having “sour grapes” and a “hidden agenda” over the ordeal.
“I haven’t got sour grapes, I just want to ensure a fair process is followed and we are involved in the recruitment of the chief executive,” he said.
“If we do revert to an elected panel we can then vote accordingly, we might even finish up with the same result but we will have been shown to participate in a democratic process.”
Interim chief executive Chris Rose started with council on March 21.
Cr Robinson is on the selection panel for the new chief executive, and said councillors prepared to ask difficult questions would be an asset.
“I personally think that having a selection panel that represents the views of the entire council would help ensure the success of the process,” she said.
”Divisions are part of democracy, but I hope we’ll all try and work together for the benefit of the entire community.”
Council expects the recruitment process to take around three months.