BYRON SHIRE Council staff have failed in an attempt to force a Byron Bay residents group to supply membership and donor names and addresses through the courts – all without informing councillors.
It comes as Council were also unsuccessful in court on October 31 in recovering part of their $453,129.29 in legal costs from the Butler Street Community Network, who challenged Council’s bypass plans.
The Echo understands general manager Ken Gainger was delegated authority by councillors to defend the court case brought by residents.
[xyz-ihs snippet=”Servo”]
As to the status of the overblown bypass budget, The Echo is yet to receive a reply from staff.
Both mayor Simon Richardson (Greens) and Cr Paul Spooner (Labor) confirmed with The Echo that they were not informed of staff’s request to the courts for the personal information of the residents’ group.
Cr Richardson said he would be ‘happy to follow it up.’
‘Any of Council’s funds spent on defending its decisions, even when successful, or spent following up in seeking costs to be paid, is a regrettable use of funds.
‘Heaven knows, we could spend legal expenses in a myriad of better ways; however, if Council rolls over, over time others launch legal action [and] we would also be in a perilous position when trying to make decisions on behalf of the whole community.’
Meanwhile, Cr Spooner added he ‘doesn’t support vexatious court cases against community members.’
Story by Echonetdaily
Read Echonetdaily’s full story here
Of course Richo knows. The spider sits in the center of the web.
This “manager” of council business has got to go!
The murdered tree in Railway Pk to allow an outdoor seating area for a cafe ($$$$ for council) was the clincher for me.
I wonder if he has history in Marrickville??)
The bypass is not wanted in Butler street.
What do you not understand with that.
Listen to the residents.