There is definitely something rather strange going on in those secret Councillor Assemblies. We were really taken with the 12 July so called ‘minutes’. Once again all administrators except Burke left the room and the item for discussion was listed as “Request from an Integrity Agency”!!!! We would welcome any input from anyone who knows what an ‘integrity agency’ is! Council really has the language of gobbledygook and obfuscation down pat.
Also worthy of mention is the apparent ‘doctoring’ of minutes once again with these little gems –
“5 July 2011 – Cr Hyams at (iii) (h) amend by substituting one word for another Cr. Magee, at (ii) (a) amend by deleting words. Level of detail included in the Records of Assembly”
What’s wrong councillors? Is too much being let out of the bag?
We should also mention that the 26th July meeting began at 6.46. Tang arrived at 9.15pm. Two more items caught our eye here – ‘Compliance with Local Government Act’ and “Occupational Health and Safety’. The latter we guess relates to Newton’s bullying charges against Penhalluriack since the latter declared a conflict of interest at this point. Magically, Newton and all except Jones had disappeared from the Assembly by this point. Again, we assume that this is to prevent Newton from declaring his own Conflict of Interest if the item concerned his bullying allegations.
Honestly, the machinations of this council would provide spy/thriller writers with enough material to last the next hundred years! Only problem is, that it is ratepayers who keep coughing up their hard earned money for all these shenanigans!
Glen Eira Debates 
August 7, 2011 at 11:06 AM
It’s clearer and clearer that councillor assemblies and advisory committee meetings are becoming one and the same and thus perverting the intention of the Local Government Act. When I read that officers presented reports to committees and that recommendations are then put forward on the basis of these reports alarm bells go off. I think someone has already commented that the legislation demands that all council decisions include reports or summaries of reports into the actual minutes. That’s not happening here. Council will make a decision because of these recommendations from committees but the public isn’t privy to the reports. That’s not the way its supposed to be. Instead of the bogus committees I’d prefer a little honesty instead. There’s no point in having committees when we get no inkling of the justification for any decisions and debate on recommendations doesn’t occur.
August 7, 2011 at 12:34 PM
In 2005 the internal fight between Councillors was public in every way because certain Councillors felt the Constituency had every right to know what was going on. The only thing this lot has learnt is to treat us all with contempt. They are a lousy lot of bitterly divided Councillors who need to go. Let’s see if the Inspectors have any Balls this time?
August 7, 2011 at 3:00 PM
Many of these councillors need to go but first cab off the rank must be senior administrators. Look no further than Newton to find out all that’s wrong with this malfunctioning group.
August 7, 2011 at 5:52 PM
…. To be fair changing a word here and there in minutes is not that suspicious, it could in fact make those minutes more reflective of the actual events. Every organisation I have ever been involved with, does this type of correction and clarification as a matter of course. That is to say that everyone present must agree to take the changes on board.
August 7, 2011 at 6:08 PM
Might agree with you if this was a normal council, but its not. Then again it’s not just one word. The Magee reference is to “words” and then the dead give away is the next sentence – “Level of detail……”. Post meeting revisions are fine if eeryone agrees and if the objective isn’t to hide and camouflage. Past history suggests that hiding and secrecy and keeping people ignorant of what’s going on is inevitably the objective.
August 7, 2011 at 9:43 PM
Dictionary says that integrity is adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty. Reckon this agency has been knocking on quite a few doors trying to find any remnants of these qualities in this council.