City of Busselton votes to remove all elected members from behaviour complaints committee ahead of review

The future of the City of Busselton’s behaviour complaints committee sits in limbo as it is effectively disbanded while a review continues. At a special meeting held on Wednesday afternoon, the council voted to removed all elected members from the committee as it investigates potential options for dealing with behavioural issues. The decision was made after the council chose to adopt a “narrow” interpretation of legal advice it had received earlier last month, meaning it could not force elected members to join a committee against their will. Cr Andrew Macnish and Deputy Mayor Anne Ryan both rejected their appointments to the committee at the new council’s first meeting in October, despite all elected members previously being appointed. It is understood matters to do with behaviour complaints will now be dealt with by the full council while the review by City staff continues. Earlier in the day, another special council meeting was held to appoint Cr Ryan to the audit and risk committee after legal advice determined she had a “statutory right” to have already been appointed. In announcing the additional meeting earlier this week, chief executive Tony Nottle said the move would “protect the council by ensuring her full rights of participation in that committee have not been prejudiced by previous council decisions”. A vote was held to have Cr Ryan appointed to the committee at the ordinary council meeting on November 15, but she narrowly failed to receive absolute majority support. All other elected members were appointed to the committee, with Cr Cronin noting a significant interest among councillors to join the group. “At the end of the day, obviously anything that goes through any committee has to go to council, so it could be a little more efficient than having to do a briefing (for committee topics),” he said.