Minister calls for Shire of Coolgardie show why council should not be suspended

An embattled shire in WA’s Goldfields has been ordered to show why the whole council should not be suspended.

Local Government Minister Hannah Beazley has given the Shire of Coolgardie three weeks to clarify why it should not be stood down.

The minister stated the choice was the results of the “extremely serious nature of the financial issues faced by the shire” and doubts it is going to be in a position to return to a financially secure place.

Ms Beazley stated she had been “deeply concerned” concerning the shire for a lot of months.

“The shire themselves have spoken about around $27 million in debt. When you have a ratepayer base of just a couple of thousand ratepayers, that is a serious debt to revenue ratio that’s in the red,” she stated.

Ms Beazley stated the shire’s response to the discover will decide its future and was fast to emphasize she was not planning on dismissing the council, however a suspension was on the playing cards.

“If there is a suspension that is decided by me, that may be that they’re suspended for a period of time while councillors undergo training and other caveats,” she stated.

“The government is giving the shire the opportunity to prove why it shouldn’t be suspended.

“I’ll take into account the shire’s response and all the knowledge supplied to me earlier than making any resolution.”

Two “no-confidence” motions were successfully made against the Shire of Coolgardie councillors, initiated by ratepayers last month. 

But council has decided at a meeting held in Kambalda tonight that no councillors should resign ahead of local government elections in October.

During the meeting, several councillors pushed back against Ms Beazley’s notice.

Deputy shire president Tracey Rathbone said the local government had made progress in turning around their finances over the past nine months.

The shire was additionally in discussions about merging with the adjoining City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

Councils within the highlight

It’s the second major development in regional WA politics this week, after Port Hedland’s mayor resigned, paralysing the council of its decision making ability.

It additionally comes simply weeks after the City of Nedlands in Perth was sacked and changed with three commissioners as a result of ongoing dysfunction amongst councillors.

WA Local Government Association (WALGA) president Karen Chappel said the vast majority of local councils were operating well.

“I consider {that a} popularity is one thing that is constructed from much more than three native governments out of 139,” she stated.

“I’d need to say that there is 136 native governments which can be doing very well, so I’d say that in precise reality our popularity is sound.”