TENSIONS between the progressive bloc and the Liberal Party boiled over at Hawkesbury Council’s April 11 meeting, with Cr Patrick Conolly accusing Hawkesbury Mayor Mary Lyons-Buckett of using “weasel words”.
The councillors were debating the merits of a motion to defer a local environment plan change at 631 Bells Line of Road, Kurrajong to be deferred, pending the results of a comprehensive traffic study of the region.
Progressive councillors have taken the position in this Council that they were elected to stop development west of the Hawkesbury River until better infrastructure is in place.
To that end, they have tried to defer planning proposals, which allow for the sub-division of land, in the Kurmond and Kurrajong areas.
A condition is placed on the planning proposals, that the traffic study must be completed before the processing of the planning proposal can continue.
These moves have angered the Liberal Party, and to a lesser extend the Labor Party.
They see the moves as unfair, mostly because many of the planning proposals coming up before Council were lodged well before the current Council came to power.
This debate has played out many times in Council, and was again being played out on April 11.
Mayor Lyons-Buckett said since the particular planning proposal had originally come before Council she had held concerns about planning matters.
While she was defending her position, Cr Conolly accused her of using “weasel words”, which Mayor Lyons-Buckett reacted to angrily.
She demanded Cr Conolly withdraw his remarks, however, Cr Conolly refused to, and said he lived in a democracy.
Mayor Lyons-Buckett adjourned the meeting, and after about 10 minutes, when it resumed, Cr Conolly withdrew his remarks although clearly did so begrudgingly.
Cr Peter Reynolds defended the actions of the progressive bloc.
“The community voted us in to fix up a mess left over by previous councils,” he said.
Deputy Mayor and Labor councillor Barry Calvert said while he originally opposed the planning proposal when it first came to Council, he saw no reason why councillors should now vote to defer or potentially refuse.
“I voted against it in September 2015 because we were voting against starting the process,” he said.
“To turn around now or stop it would be to fly in the face of a previous Council decision.
“I didn't agree with this at the time but it was Council's decision.”
Fellow Labor councillor Amanda Kotlash said she did not see why Council would halt a process which had been underway for two years.
“I am very disappointed that some of my colleagues get confused with ideological grandstanding and the processes we should be following,” she said.
“I understand there is a traffic problem, but it really disturbs me that as a Council we can't seem to stick to our policies. If there is something wrong with them then we mist change them.”
Cr Kotlash’s views were echoed by Cr Conolly.
“The new mood in council is inconsistency and indecision...this Council has now changed its policy on dealing with planning proposals three times in six months” Cr Conolly said.
He also asked Council staffer Jeff Organ when the traffic study would be completed.
Mr Organ said there was no set deadline, but the first stages of works should be underway by the middle of the year.
Mayor Lyons-Buckett said Council was not required to approve planning proposals or DAs, simply because they were lodged.
“These are speculative things when people go in for rezonings,” she said.
“We need to make decisions with the future in mind to make sure we are not selling out the community who elected us.”
The vote to defer was won five to four. Mayor Lyons-Buckett, Cr Paul Rasmussen, Cr John Ross, Cr Peter Reynolds and Cr Danielle Wheeler voted for it. Deputy Mayor Barry Calvert, Cr Amanda Kotlash, Cr Nathan Zamprogno and Cr Patrick Conolly voted against it.
Cr Sarah Richards, Cr Tiffany Tree and Cr Emma-Jane Garrow were not present at the meeting.
A rescission motion has been lodged.
