Minister urged to sack council

‘I cannot envisage a situation more evident of an overall level of systemic dysfunctionality than the failure by both the council and the administration, collectively and individually, to meet the very clear and thoroughly justified, needs of the Willetton Childcare Centre,’ he said in the inquiry report.

‘The errors made, the attitudes displayed towards local residents and the ultimate, unjustified, delays in settling a simple leasing document are indicative of a failure to provide good government at all levels.

‘Residents with an interest in this issue deserved much, much better.’

In his Inquiry into the City of Canning report, tabled in Parliament by Local Government Minister Tony Simpson last week, Dr Kendall outlined the negotiations which came to a fore in 2011 when the centre needed a lease to make necessary upgrades to its kitchen.

Willetton Childcare Centre president Lindsay Holland said the report vindicated his belief that council and Mayor Joe Delle Donne did not provide good governance.

‘We didn’t get any assistance from the elected members whatsoever,’ he said.

‘Rather we were treated in a virtually antagonistic way.’

Mr Holland said he hoped Mr Simpson acted on the report’s recommendation and dismissed council.

In the report, Dr Kendall further outlined 91 findings and 10 recommendations, including dismissal of the council, which has been suspended since November 2012.

Dr Kendall said that there was a failure to provide good government by the council and that this was unlikely to change if council was reinstated.

‘The attitudes of many of the individual councillors seem entrenched over many years and based on the evidence before me, I cannot see them changing significantly,’ he said.

The report analysed 10 key issues at the City between 2009 and 2012, including the Willetton Childcare Centre lease, relationships with council and former chief executive Mark Dacombe, the Nicholson Road/Bannister Road project, Centenary Avenue/Manning Road project, refuse truck purchase and withdrawal from the Southern Metropolitan Regional Council.

The inquiry did not find any evidence of corruption.